Growing Older, Not Up
by Rebel lady
Summary: COMPLETE! Not just another Jack-Sparrow's-Daughter story. She's here, Jack's here but something different. Do pirates go through a midlife crisis anyhow? If they did, what would they go through? :Sequel to There's Your Trouble::
1. Introduction

**Author's Note: Well welcome to my story.  By the way- if you haven't read "There's Your Trouble" then you probably won't get more than half of this story.  I would suggest you go read it- but I can't force you to do anything.  **

**          Also, I'm posting two chapters because I like short first chapters and it wouldn't be very nice to just give you a little chapter…so here's two.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything…Its all Jerry, Gore, Terry and Ted- they created the masterpiece that is Pirates of the ****Caribbean****.  I owe them everything…*sigh***

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"Yer pretty cute, some lassie have her eye on you, mate?"

        The man winced and kept walking.  She frowned and looked at the man on her other side, "Do you have a lime?  I haven't had one in a while and Scurvy don't sound that pleasant."

        "You already go something that'll help your scurvy."

        She paused, "Oh yea, how could I forget?  A brand helps scurvy."

        They both laughed and upon reaching the end of the stairs, one of them went to unlock a cell and the other threw her in there.  "Now keep quiet.  The Commodore will be down here in a bit."

        _Keep quiet?  Yer funny._  "Should I wash my hair as well?  Perhaps put on a dress."

        "Quiet you!" the cute one yelled.

        "Well!  You better not come crawling back to me bub!" she said in mock offence.  But while she was talking she didn't hear the footsteps of the Commodore.  So when he stopped in front of her cell she was a little off guard, but not for long.

        The Commodore paused for a minute, looking at her.  Even if he didn't know who this was, he would guess just by looking at her.  _Remarkable, yet unbelievable._  "Give us a moment gentlemen."

        She eyed the two redcoats leave and then her eyes landed on him.  "You think it wise to be left here alone, Commodore?"

        He ignored the question, "Why are you here?"

        "By the complete goodness of my heart, sir."

        He sighed, _the sarcasm is there_.  "You have a name, miss?"

        She paused, knowing he might hang her then and there on this information alone.  "Sparrow…" she said cautiously. 

        He nodded, "Interesting."

        She narrowed her eyes, "Can I know your name?"

        "James Norrington." She paused and then mumbled his last name over and over, "Heard of me?"

        She looked up, "Let's cut to the chase, Commodore- we don't know each other but are both familiar with each other's name- that's peachy.  But what I want to know is when my hanging is."

        "Hanging?"

        "You know, gallows?"

        "You're not going to be hung, my men already branded you…you can leave in a week."

        "Excuse me?" she asked, not sure she heard him right.

        "This is your first offense.  Nothing more will be done to you."

        She narrowed her eyes, "And that's it?  No strings?"

        "No strings."

        She smirked, praising her good fortune.  

        "But miss- I must inform you, that I have informed three people of your presence in Port Royal.  So do be expecting visitors."

        "Who?"

        "The Turners and my wife."


	2. A Reunion

A timid knock sounded on Gwyneth's door later in the afternoon.  She sighed and turned away from her window.  "Come in."  She watched as a girl with long, brown hair and blue eyes entered the room.  She looked to be about eleven, and was showing the signs of a blossoming young woman.  "Yes Caitlin?"

        "Will and Elizabeth are down stairs…"

        Gwyneth nodded, "Thanks sweetie."  She turned back around, expecting to hear a door shut soon, but it never did.  She turned around again, "Something bothering you, Cate?"

        "What's wrong?  Ever since that boy came here with the message…you've been up here."

        Gwyneth sighed, _should I tell her?_ She thought to herself, looking into her niece's eyes, "Someone's here."

        "Did the Commodore tell you about the person?"

        "Caitlin! Caitlin, where are you?" they both heard.  Caitlin rolled her eyes and yelled out the door, "Rebecca!  I told you I'm talking to Aunt Gwyneth!"

        A little girl quickly appeared in the doorway, with brown hair and green eyes.  "Why?"  This girl looked to be six year old, and with the freckles covering her face- making her look younger.  

        Gwyneth smiled, glad she could dodge her inquiring young nieces' questions.  She sighed and grabbed her money pouch from her vanity and said, "Well girls, I have somewhere to be…"

        "With Will and Elizabeth?" Rebecca asked, walking with her aunt.  

        "Yes!" Caitlin hissed at her sister from the other side of Gwyneth.  They walked down the stairs and were met with two couples, one being the Turners.  The other being Gwyneth's brother and sister-in-law.  "Gwyneth, were they bothering you?" Faith Johnson asked.

        She sighed and shook her head, "No Faith- they were fine."  She turned her attention to Will and Elizabeth, both looking themselves as usual.  Though Will seemed a little more…dressy.  "Will!  The last time I saw you was your 37th birthday…"

        "Which was two weeks ago, Gwyneth."

        "I know that…but you seem so much…older now." She said with a smile.

        "You're two years older than me…I wouldn't be talking."

        "Oh!  Use my age against me!"

        "Gwyneth…we should get going.  James is expecting us soon."

        She nodded, "Right, thank you Elizabeth."  She looked at her family and waved goodbye and went out the door.

        _This is bloody perfect.  "The Turners and my wife."  I can't even remember how I remember him, how am I supposed to know his wife?  But I'm just assuming she knows who I am. And the Turners…now that sounds familiar.  Dad must've talked about them…but why?  I can't remember!_  She sighed and stared at the bars that were across from her.  She was sitting on the dirty floor, against the back wall, with her legs up and her arms on her knees.

         Brenda Sparrow had never seen the inside of a jail cell, and now, at the age of seventeen, she'd been branded and sentenced to a week in this hell.  _And what the blast am I suppose to do when I get out?  The _Pearl_ is long gone by now… My stupid mouth…_ "Oh, let me go over while you make a break for it!" she said, mocking herself.  "I can't believe they actually left."  _I bet stupid Hanks left steering.  Like I haven't let him steer enough during these six months!?  Who cares if I've known him since I was ten- he's trouble.  Cotton was better.  _She sighed again. 

        "I can't believe I'm here." She muttered.  But before she could complain about her situation more she heard voices and footsteps.  _Oh, the little wife and the Turners…oh goody.  _She sighed and stayed put.  

        "…Down here, Mr. Turner." She heard someone say.  Someone she didn't recognize.  She looked up to see a tall man, thirties, with a white wig and light blue eyes.  Standing next to him was another man, a little older with dark hair and dark eyes.  He was slightly attractive.  Holding on to his hand was a beautiful woman, with light brown hair, an expensive dress and striking brown eyes.  She looked about the same age as the man she was with.  Then finally there was another woman, looking around the same age- blond hair and green eyes.  

        "Who are you?" she asked gruffly, not too excited about meeting these people.  **Don't let people see how much you know.**  She sighed under her breath, _even when he's gone- he's in my head.  _

        Gwyneth took in the sight of the girl in the jail cell.  The last time she had seen Brenda was about fourteen years ago and she came up to her thigh.  The girl…woman sitting in front of her must've been around seventeen.  She couldn't tell the height because she was sitting down, but there were a lot of things that stuck out.  

        She had black, long, straight hair- that must've reached down to her lower back.  About an inch of her hair was corn-rowed in the front, with a faded, blue bandana covering her forehead.  Some beads and braids stuck out in a few spots.  She had dark eyes and a little of kohl underneath with long, beautiful eyelashes.

        She had sea boots on, dark gray pants, a dirty white shirt with a blue vest over it.  The shirt had a low neckline, which showed off what looked like a shark tooth around her neck.  She had black, fingerless gloves on and plenty of rings and earrings on.  _She's a model female pirate…_

        "This is company, Sparrow," the man with the wig said, "I would suggest you treat them like you would your mother."

        "My mother died."

        **That her mother died in child birth.** Gwyneth gasped slightly under her breath.  Brenda's eyes darted over to her and then back at the wig, "Can't I know who my 'company' is?"

        He sighed, "I am Captain Briscoe.  This is Will and Elizabeth Turner and Gwyneth Johnson."

        She paused, "I thought Norrington's wife was comin'."

        "That's Commodore to you, Sparrow.  And she obviously isn't here."

        Brenda rolled her eyes, "Well that's wonderful, _Captain._  But I'm not in the mood for chattin'."

        He leaned in, "You're in the mood," he said sternly.

        There was a minute of silence until Gwyneth bent down to get at eye level with her and said, "You don't remember us, do you?"

        She paused, "I suffer from short-term memory loss, lass- sorry."

        Gwyneth ignored the sarcasm and said, "I know you, Brenda.  We all do."

        "That's nice."

        "And we know your father."

        She smirked, "So does most of the Caribbean."

        "No…we _know_ him." Will said, intervening.  Brenda looked at him, then at Elizabeth and then at Gwyneth.  Yes, something was definitely familiar about all of them and it was a little odd that they were all here.  _Why bloody __Port Royal__?  Dad's gunna kill me when he finds out._ "How do you know him?"

        "He's never told you about us?" Elizabeth asked a little hurt.  

        Brenda shrugged, "Honestly- I can't remember…"

        "Mr. Turner, I thought this might not work…" Briscoe started off.

        "Wait!" Gwyneth said, keeping her eyes on Brenda.  "It's in there somewhere.  You must remember _something_."

        Brenda paused, trying to search her memory.  This woman was not going to give up!  "Well give me something to work with!"

        "We were in a cave!  With the pirates!  The pirates had no souls…they kidnapped both of us and took us to an under ground cave!  There was a woman…she…there was a fountain of youth…"  Gwyneth said.  She was starting to get desperate.  Why she was even trying, she wasn't sure.  Why reach out to her?  It had been fourteen years.  How would she remember everything?

        Brenda looked around the cell, like something there would spark a thought, even though nothing Gwyneth was saying was.  "Gwyneth…Will…Elizabeth…Turner."  Brenda couldn't figure it out.  There was something there.  A fountain of youth?  Maybe not that…but something… "Gwyneth." For some reason that name struck a cord with her.  It seemed as familiar as her own father's name, yet no memory came with that.  Then, "Gwen...Gweny…?"

        Gwyneth's face lit up as Brenda had said her nickname for her.  She nodded.  Brenda looked up and Will and Elizabeth with a new appreciation as faint memories came into her head.  "Liz and Will.  Turner.  Bootstrap Bill's son…"

        Will nodded.  Gwyneth stood up as did Brenda, showing her actual height of five feet tall.  "Captain, when will she be released?"

        "Released?"

        "Yes, the Commodore informed the Turners she'd be released but he didn't tell them when."

        "Uh…Around the end of this week."

        "Wonderful.  I will be here to pick her up then."

        "Pick her up?" he questioned, looking at Brenda and then back at Gwyneth, "She is a pirate.  She deserves a-"

        "A warm meal and a bed.  And I will give her that, Captain.  I do live with my brother and his family- nothing will happen."  She said and then started to walk up the steps, seeing a pile of knifes, daggers, guns, a sword and an assortment of weapons.  _Definitely her father's daughter._

        "What did you just say?" Edward asked at dinner that night.  Their sons, Trevor and Jonathan, had come back from their apprentices around the same time Gwyneth came home from the battlement.  Now as the five children, their mother and father and herself sat down for dinner, she had asked him about Brenda.  

        She looked around the table at the faces looking at her, "Brenda…I invited her to live with us…"

        "Who's Brenda?" Seventeen-year-old Trevor asked.

        "How'd you meet her?" Rebecca asked.

        "Where will she stay?" Faith's voice blocked out the ones of her children.  

        Gwyneth swallowed, "We do have an extra bedroom…and I'm sure she would even be comfortable sleeping on a couch…"

        Edward stared at her sister, asking his eldest sons question, "Who is this Brenda? And why does she not have a home?"

        Gwyneth looked around again, "Well…she uh…is someone's daughter…"

        "Whos?" Edward prodded.

        "Jack's…"

        "Jack Sparrow?!" Fourteen-year old Mark spouted.  The table grew quiet.  They had all heard of Gwyneth's adventure when Trevor was the only one born.  How she had gone to get married but instead gone off to put her fiancé's soul to rest and then being kidnapped- all the while, being saved time and time again by the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow.  Faith was still the only person who knew how attached she had gotten to the pirate.

        Gwyneth looked at her brother, the answer written all over her face, "…Maybe…"

        Edward groaned while the kids seemed to cheer.  A _personal_ look from their mother quickly remedied that.  Edwards took in a deep breath and asked, "Why would you be so…convicted to do such a thing?"

        Gwyneth sighed and said, "Edward, she's seventeen years old, her father no where insight and she's locked in a cell.  If she wanders the street _alone_ then she will _surely_ be killed based on the fact that she's a pirate."  She paused, "She has to stay _somewhere_."

        "But why here?"

        "Because she knows no one else."  Which wasn't exactly the truth- but Elizabeth and Will definitely didn't have any room in their house.

        He sighed and looked at his wife who was at the opposite end of the table as him.  She shrugged.  He sighed again and looked at his sister, "Fine.  She can stay in the guest bedroom.  But have her be reminded that we have a six year old in the house."

        Later that night, while the children were elsewhere, Edward told Gwyneth also to keep Brenda away from the three boys of the house.  Mark probably wouldn't be a big deal but Trevor and Jonathan, who was sixteen, would be difficult.  "Yes, well tell them to also keep their hormones to themselves, Eddie."

Brenda stared at the food on the floor before her.  A lot of thoughts ran through her head as she looked at the bowl of soup, two pieces of bread and a cup of water.  _Normally, I would be happy to have water and bread…soup isn't anything new…Roberts makes the best bloody soup…but water and bread…The _Pearl_ hasn't been doing anything other than looking for her blasted Captain…no money, no food.  _She sighed.  If usually she would be eating this, what was stopping her now?

        The haunting words of her father.

        **Brenda, you just can't eat something.  People out there don't like pirates.  You're a pirate.  Check your food.**  

        She sighed and thought about how many people in this battlement alone would love to have her head.  Not because she was Brenda Sparrow, a pirate- but because she was Brenda Sparrow, daughter of Jack Sparrow.  She sighed again and grimaced at the food.  _I'm hungry though…_

        And although she had become very good at checking food, all her testing things were in the blasted pouch.  Which, of course, was on the table across from the cell, along with her weapons.  _I feel so naked without my weapons…and I'm also hungry._  

        _Curse you dad, why couldn't you be in this bloody cell with me?_


	3. Black Pearl

As Will and Elizabeth sat on their porch swing that he had built, watching the sun go down, holding each other, they both thought about the day's events.  

        When the Commodore had personally come to their house after a week of being out on sea to talk to them, they were a little uneasy.  It had been a chore to get all the children out of the room of course, since all of them had the day off from school, the house echoed in their noise still.

        He had told them that they had come upon the _Pearl_ but didn't get close enough to trap the whole crew.  One lone figure had been on a dinghy.  And much to Norrington's surprise it wasn't who he was expecting.

        "Not like I had exactly anticipated Jack's figure being the one on the ship, but one of a captive.  It's wasn't a large portion of me that thought that…but a portion none the less."  He had explained.  "So when I saw a young woman that still looked to be in her teen-years, I was thrown off.  And the fact that she seemed to be Jack Sparrow's double didn't help my conscience."   

        He explained that Captain Briscoe had also been aboard, and wanted to hang her right then and there.  The Commodore described him as 'level-headed' about the whole deal after he explained to the Captain that she hadn't been branded.  He insisted to the Turners he would make an excellent Commodore, as if assuring himself.  

        Then when he asked them to go see her, they were totally surprised.  "James, we haven't seen her in over a decade!" Elizabeth told him.  Still, he asked.  Not assuming they would go- but hoping.  He left saying that he wouldn't be there, so the Captain would be there to 'assist' them.

        "We should tell Gwyneth." Elizabeth had told Will right after the Commodore left.  Both of them knowing her connection to the once little girl and to Jack.  But the biggest question in their mind was the whereabouts of Jack.  And now, many hours later, the same question plagued their thoughts.

        "I hope he's alright…" Elizabeth said softly, looking out onto the ocean always had brought memories of Jack into her mind.  It had been so long since she had seen him.  It had been _too_ long.

        Will mumbled something in response, agreeing with her, thinking of Jack himself.  "We should meet with Brenda again and see where he is."

        "It'll be better if we talk to her after she's released.  She is going to be living with Gwyneth until…whenever.  Surely she would spare enough time to talk to us…"

        Will nodded.  Only hoping his long time friend was okay.

        Gwyneth felt her lip go numb from biting it for so long and let go of it.  She kept moving her arm across the large body.  The male made a noise and she stopped, "Oh calm down, you like it."  She kept brushing him, with more attention this time.  The large being made another noise but she ignored it.  "Why are you so cranky, Pearl?"

        The large, black horse turned its head to meet hers and he neighed again.  "If I brushed Suzie every night she wouldn't complain half as much as you do."  She went on brushing him.  She had gotten Pearl a couple years ago.  He was a full grown horse, exactly what she always wanted.

        When her parents died, they left everything to Edward (naturally) and left in the will to give fifty percent of the money to Gwyneth as an allowance.  He of course did, and allowed her to keep living in the house while he moved out of his old one and moved in with her.

        The death of her parents had left a huge void in her life.  One that her brother, sister, nieces and nephews could never fill.  She started by getting two goldfish.  Then she got Pearl, and lastly Suzette, her beagle who was only a year old and was very hyper.  

        She rode Pearl almost everyday, and the building of a small stable helped Gwyneth sleep at night, knowing her horse would be in a warm place.  She often thought about how cliché it would be calling her horse Pearl, after the _Black Pearl,_ but she needed something to remind her of Jack.  

        As if the days alone wouldn't.

        Since she had seen Jack and received his letter, she wasn't exactly the same. The Commodore had pursued her, true, but not before long before he realized that her true feelings lied in someone other than him.  So they kept a strong friendship, and she encouraged him to pursue his current wife.  

        But her life hadn't been full of repressed emotions and finding herself always looking for Jack, she had enjoyed her life and done things other than search the seas for the _Pearl,_ but she always kept in the back of her mind the thought of Jack returning- but she wouldn't let it rule her.  After all, it had been fourteen years.

        Now, when faced with his daughter, she had no bad feelings about this.  She knew taking her into her home was the right thing to do- no one would sway her from that choice.  _What I don't understand is, why didn't James come and tell me? He hasn't even talked to me about Brenda since she got here._

She sighed and put down the brush, gave Pearl a carrot and some water and then left. "I'll see you in the morning, Pearl."  She headed back to the house, thinking about this situation.  _But where's Jack?  Shouldn't he be close to his daughter?  I mean, she didn't even mention him!  I'll have to talk to her about that._

        When she walked in, it was incredibly quiet.  She figured the two girls must be in bed by now.  She heard Suzette eating in the kitchen and whistled quietly for her.  The dog came running to her master.  Gwyneth knelt down and picked her up and carried her up the stairs with her.  "Good night Jacque." She said to the man who was walking into the kitchen.  He and Francis were the only two help, who had been hired by Gwyneth's parents.

        "G'night ma'am."  He was getting ready for bed too.  The few candles that were still lit were about to be blown out.  He got up early in the morning, so usually went to bed around the came time as Rebecca and Caitlin.  The rest of the house usually stayed in their rooms at that time until they went to bed.

        She turned and knocked lightly on her brother's door, ignoring Suzie, who was licking her face.  She heard an acknowledgement and walked in to find them both in bed, reading by candle light.  "Well, you're finally out of the stables!  Suzie was whining for you." Faith said, taking off her spectacles she used to read.

        "I know.  Are the boys still up?"

        "Most likely.  I'm afraid you missed Caitlin and Rebecca."

        She nodded, "Good night you two…and thanks for letting Brenda-"

        "No problem," Edward cut in.  She nodded again and left.  She went past the girls' bedroom and to the next door.  She knocked, heard yet another response and walked in.  The three boys had the largest rooms of them all.  The house only did have five bedrooms, not enough for all the kids, their parents and the aunt.  So putting the three boys into one room, they had to have a large one to fit all the furniture.  

        "Hey Aunt Gwyneth," Trevor said, looking up from his wood he was currently carving.  Jonathan and Mark were on a bed playing with cards.  

        She smirked, "Are you two supposed to have those?" she let Suzie down and shut the door behind her.  The two boys gave her a sheepish look and went back to playing.

        She walked over to Trevor's bed and sat down, "And I thought you were going out tonight with some of your friends."

        "They canceled," he said simply, "One of them got in trouble.  And since we're all _just_ seventeen, we wanted to go out together.  And anyway- mom won't let me go out without them."  She nodded, remembering that stage of her life.  He paused and put down his carving knife, "So what's up with this girl?"

        That drew Jonathan and Mark's attention.  They agreed and shot up and walked over to the bed and sat down, picking up Suzie and holding her.  She sighed and looked at them, "I knew you guys would ask me that."

        Somehow she had always enjoyed talking to these boys.  Caitlin wasn't old enough to talk about girl things with anymore and Faith or Elizabeth just wouldn't be able to understand some of the things that went through her head, but somehow- she always felt comfortable talking to her nephews. 

        "Why would Jack Sparrow's daughter be in Port Royal?" Mark asked.  He had been especially fascinated with the pirate.  He had read all about him in books at school and always wanted to hear the story of her capture told time and time again.  She was sure Mark was Jack's biggest fan.

        She shrugged, "I'm not sure…I guess I'll find out all about it when I get her next week."

        "It's amazing she remembered you." Jonathan said, fixing his glasses on his nose.   When he was younger, he was always been so self conscious about them, but now had grown into the thin spectacles.  

        "I know.  Fourteen years is a long time, isn't it?"

        They all nodded.  "So, will we get to meet him?" Mark asked.

        "I don't know…We don't even know where he is…"

        "Mom and dad would flip…" Trevor said.

        She smirked and nodded.  "They would…but he wouldn't live with us…we have no more rooms."

        "And the fact that dad thinks he's responsible for your kidnapping doesn't help." Jonathan said, putting in his sensible thought.  She sighed, why had her brother kept that grudge after so long?  She barely remembered it, why should he?

        "Well boys, I just wanted to say good night.  I'll see you tomorrow morning."  She got up and took Suzie and quickly left the room, feeling overwhelmed.

        The week flew by and soon Gwyneth found herself in the Commodore's office, with Will and Elizabeth.  They had showed up at her house, unexpected that morning, ready to talk to Brenda.  They confessed that they wanted to hear information on Jack.  Gwyneth didn't comment.

        "Gwyneth, so good to see you!" Norrington said, when she walked in.  He greeted Will and Elizabeth as well but every time he looked at her, he looked as though he was a guilty party.  Captain Briscoe had gone to get Brenda.  They heard some yelling and the Commodore paused, "Please excuse me."  

        Gwyneth exchanged looks with the Turners and quickly followed him.  "…going to have my bloody sword, Captain!" they heard Brenda say.  When they got down there, they saw Captain Briscoe towering over her, and two officers behind her, muskets aimed.  She was totally unfazed.  

        "What seems to be the problem, Captain?" the Commodore asked.  

        "Sir, she wants her weapons."

        "Well give them to her."

        "Excuse me?"

        "She is no longer our problem.  When she commits a crime in our city, then she becomes our problem again, but until then- give them too her."

        Will shook his head, knowing this never would've happened fifteen years ago.  _But of course Brenda hasn't made a name for herself.  Her 'crimes against the crown' aren't as well known as Jack Sparrow's._

        She growled and put every knife, gun and sword back into its rightful place, hidden or exposed.  She sighed and started up the stairs, acting as though she was six feet tall.  The rest of them followed.  Before leaving, Gwyneth said to Norrington, "I want to talk to you sometime this week James…do send my love to your wife."  He nodded and she left.  

        The four had decided to go to Will and Elizabeth's house.  All the children would be gone accept for the youngest, who was too young for school, and there was no Edward or Faith.  Gwyneth knew they would have to meet Brenda sooner or later, but she wanted to hear about Jack away from her brother and sister-in-law.  

        Once inside and seated at the dining room table, with Brenda eating everything, they began the questions.  "I thought I was livin' with Gwyneth…" She said, her mouth full.  She had been amazed at the large home that Will and Elizabeth lived in, but commented that she had seen larger.

        "We wanted to talk to you privately…" Elizabeth said, "And our daughter is a friends house, so the house is ours."

        Brenda paused with a mound of food in her cheek, "What are ye goin' to do to me?"

        They smiled, "Nothing.  We actually…want to talk to you about your dad…" Will said.

        She swallowed and frowned, "Trust me, you don't want to know."

        "It can't be that bad, could it? Gwyneth said.  She was really chomping at the bit to know about Jack.  "I mean, we realize he's not here with you, but it can't be _that_ bad."

        Brenda nodded, taking in more food.  "Oh yes it is.  He's gone off the deep end.  Seriously."  She ate for a few more minutes before anyone asked anything more.  She finally told them she was full and they slowly made their way to the parlor.

        "Dad left about six months ago…before that he had his birthday.  He was fifty-two years old."  She sighed, remembering everything, "He had a breakdown…started doing strange things, refusing to raid ships, go to Tortuga…I was afraid the crew was going to mutiny!  But I don't think it was a mental breakdown or anything…but he was like having a…mid-life crisis."

        "At fifty-two?" Elizabeth asked, not quite believing it.

        She nodded, "Pirates don't usually…but when Gibbs died, Ana Maria left and he had his birthday in the same month…it effected him greatly.  I think he finally realized that death is coming soon…like a natural death."

        "Gibbs died?" Will asked.

        She nodded, "During a raid…shot in the heart…but dad was on the ship for a while and then left.  I went out lookin' for him and got too close to Port Royal obviously…"

        They were in front of the door when someone knocked on it.  The man servant, who was closer, answered the door to only to reveal Jack and another man.

* * *

**Author Thanks:**

**          Dawnie-7: Yay!  You're back…my sister told me she stole you, but you're back.  I'm glad you like it so far.**

**          Emma436: You have a question with the first chapters!  Auh!  lol.  Hm…Brenda and Trevor?  As always…you'll have to wait and see.  YA!  They haven't even met yet! lol.  You crack me up.  WHOA!  I just got an e*mail from you…I'll tty soon!**


	4. Captain Jack?

**Author's Note: *sigh* I really hope you all don't come after me with pitch forks or boycott my story after this chapter…I've done it.  I've killed Captain Jack Sparrow.  Not literally because he's one of the main characters but…I have.  And you'll understand by the second paragraph and the least sentence of this chapter…I am shamefaced but I had to…*sigh*  Just trust me- please.**

**::Author's note in next chapter::**

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Will, Elizabeth and Gwyneth stared at the person in the door.  The butler waited, holding on to the handle and Brenda sighed, "Speaking of the bloody devil."

        "Jack?" Will said, not necessarily believing his eyes.  Jack stood in the door with the same old smile on his face yet he was…not himself, and it didn't take a second look to figure that out.  Starting with his hair, they noticed that there was no bandana, showing off his oddly enough- not tan forehead, at least not as tan as the rest of his face.  His hairline was receding slightly and his little pony tail on the side that used to have a bone through it- gone.  The braid in the back had too, seemed to disappear, along with the two braids from his beard.  His hair was drastically shorter.  Most of the dreads were still there and some little trinkets were still there, but the hair was about an inch shorter which looked strange.

        Next were his clothes- he had abandoned the coat, hat, boots, vest, sash deal and now wore black shined shoes, black pants, what looked like a gray evening jacket and a cravat.  It looked as though he hadn't gained or lost weight, shrunk or anything of that sort.  Will shook his head, wondering if the real Jack was under there somewhere.

        "Who is that?" Gwyneth asked quietly.  

        Brenda sighed, crossing her arms, "Dad, what are you doing here?"

        He frowned, "What's with the welcoming committee?"

        Elizabeth closed her mouth and collected herself, "Jack, of course, come in.  May I ask who your friend is?"

        "Rick Potter…Richard if you like."  They stepped in and the butler stood in front of them with his arms out.  Jack stared at him for a minute and then a light went on in his head, "of course!" And unbuttoned his jacket to reveal a white vest with a white long-sleeve shirt underneath it.  

        He gave him the vest and then looked at Rick.  Rick shrugged.  Jack looked at the butler and said, "He's rather attached to it…"  The man nodded and walked off.  Jack and Rick followed the recovering Elizabeth into one of the many rooms while Will, Gwyneth and Brenda slowly followed, still not believing their eyes.  

        Rick was a man in his late forties, around the same height as Jack, broad-shouldered, gray, short hair and blue eyes.  He had boots on, a sword at his side, a coat on his shoulder and the familiar swagger that many sea-men usually have.  

        They all sat down and Gwyneth tried to keep her eyes somewhere else other than Jack, but felt his eyes on her.  But before the situation became uncomfortable, Brenda spoke up.  "Blast dad!  I've been lookin' for you for six months, riskin' my neck to find you and then you come here?"

        Jack looked at her, a calm look on his face, "I was in Nassau- With Rick.  Where else would I be?"

        "Tortuga…Dad!  That's like asking me how many islands there are in the Caribbean!  If I had searched everyone I was thinking of going to bloody Singapore!"

        He made a face, "Why were you looking for me?"

        "Oh…I dunno- maybe because you vanished without a trace during the night."

        "It wasn't during the night…"

        "Dad- you've gone insane!"

        Jack ignored the statement, "Why are _you_ here?"

        "Hey- I'm not the one who broke the promise, dad.  You came here _voluntarily._  I didn't."

        "What promise?" Gwyneth interrupted.  All heads turned to her.

        "Why, ain't she a pretty one?" Rick commented.  

        Jack's eyes seemed to smile at her, as his lips turned up.  "Gwen."

        She paused; it had been so long since she had heard someone call her that.  A slight shiver went down her back as he practically breathed it.  Their eyes were locked in contact until Brenda said, "The promise he made with me- never to come to Port Royal…never even to come to Jamaica."  She gave her father a disgusted look and sighed again.

        Jack pulled his eyes away from Gwyneth and looked at his daughter, "Now, answer me."

        "Commodore Norrington caught me."  She pulled up her sleeve, showing the brand on her wrist, "Like I said, I went out looking for you."

        Jack paused, he seemed to be trying to control his anger.  He stood up and grabbed his daughter's wrist and examined it in more detail.  Then his eyes slowly moved to Will.  "Jack, he didn't approve that.  His men just _assumed_ it.  But he probably would've done it sooner or later…after all- it is her first offense to the crown."

        "I don't care about the bloody crown!  That's my daughter!"

        "Jack, you didn't think they would uphold a brand just because she was your daughter, did you?" he asked.

        He paused and then headed to the door.  "Dad!  Where are you going!" Brenda called after him, all of them following him.  He didn't say a word nor look back.

        Commodore James Norrington sighed.  _She needs to talk to me…wonderful._  He was sitting at his dining room table, not paying attention to the conversation going on around him.  The conversation included his youngest daughter and her mother.  He glanced up from his plate and looked at his wife of thirteen years.  Everyday seemed to be a new adventure with her.

        Emily was four yeas old now.  His family had been such a wonderful thing in his life.  After the rejection from Elizabeth and then Gwyneth, he thought he would be an old bachelor his whole life- but as it turned out, fate played a part in his life.  

        "Dad, what's the matter?" a little child's voice broke through his thoughts.  

        He smiled, "Nothing pumpkin."

        "Eat your salad, sweetheart." Her mother told her.  She nodded and kept eating.  James made contact with his wife and was about to say something, but there was a rather loud knock on the door and then someone was heard yelling his name.  The mother stood up and grabbed the child from the table and came to stand next to her husband.

        Finally the person who was yelling found them and the Commodore's mouth almost dropped.  Next followed Brenda, Will, Elizabeth, Gwyneth and someone he didn't recognize.  "I'm sorry sir, they just barged in…" the servant said.  James nodded, "It's fine Ian…Mr. Sparrow, I presume?  Through your ranting and raving I did manage to recognize your voice, but if it wasn't for that I'm afraid that I wouldn't have been able to otherwise."

        "What's with branding my daughter, Norrington?"

        "So she is your daughter, I wasn't sure. Though when Captain Briscoe told me of Gwyneth and the Turner's visit…I had suspected."

        "Answer me!"

        The Commodore stood there, with his hands behind his back, his wife holding on to his arm, very calm.  "Sparrow, I do realize you haven't been here or anywhere near as civilized as Port Royal, but there are laws about running into a Commodore's house uninvited."

        "I don't bloody care about the rules!"

        "Then you must not know them either, Sparrow.  Your daughter's first offense was coming here- and from the way I see it, you should be thanking me.  When the Captain found her name was Sparrow, believe me, he was tying the noose himself."

        Jack paused, noticing the angry in the Commodore's voice and then realized he was right.  "Then who branded her?"

        "My men, under the command of Captain Regan Briscoe."

        Jack nodded, "Fine."  He paused and looked at his surroundings, noticing first of all, who the woman latched on to the Commodore was.  "Beverly?" He said in barely a whisper.

        The room grew quiet.  Gwyneth took this opportunity to get everyone out of the house.  "Commodore, do excuse the intrusion, Mr. Sparrow is not in the best of health.  Good day Beverly.  Emily."

        "Hi Gweny!" she said, waving her small hand wildly.  Gwyneth smiled at the young girl and tried to usher the group out, succeeding in doing so with Will, Elizabeth, Brenda and Rick but Jack stood still.  "Jack, c'mon."  He slowly moved, never moving his eyes from Beverly.  Finally they were gone.

        Gwyneth sighed and looked over at Brenda.  She was looking out the small window of the carriage as the sights of Port Royal past by.  The ride was taking awhile since Gwyneth lived a little out of town.  The house was huge, the grounds were huge and the whole thing needed an even bigger place to be.  

        Brenda hadn't seemed too disappointed to find out that Jack and Rick wouldn't be staying at the same place she was.  Jack, however, seemed chagrined that he wouldn't be close to Gwyneth.  She was a little relieved herself.  She hadn't seen the man in over fourteen years…who knows what would be said or how he would act.

        _Because it's not like he's acting himself...he looks so different!_  She sighed and thought about asking Brenda about it, but decided to wait.  She figured the young woman had been through enough all ready.

        By the time Brenda and Gwyneth got to Gwyneth's house- most of the children were home from school.  Trevor and Jonathan were at their jobs.  Faith was in one of the many rooms when they arrived.  

        "Faith, this is Brenda Sparrow.  Brenda, this is Faith Johnson, my sister-in-law."  Faith smiled politely and stuck out her hand.  Brenda shook it and said, "Nice place you have 'ere."

        "Thank you.  Are you hungry at all?  I'm sure Jacque will get you something…"

        "No…I ate a lot at Will and Elizabeth's."

        Faith looked at Gwyneth, "You went to the Turners?"

        "Only for a while."

        "Ahh…  Well nice to meet you, Brenda.  If you need anything, please ask me or Gwyneth."  _Yea, give me a ship. _Brenda thought, but nodded and followed Gwyneth out of room.  When she did, she was met with three people, all looking quite different but the same.   

        Gwyneth smiled weakly at Brenda as if apologizing.  _Why would she feel bad?  It's not like I'm shy…I'm a pirate for pete's sake._  "Who are you?" she asked anyone who would respond.  The littlest one had her mouth wide open, and was just staring at Brenda.  The middle one looked somewhat unemotional.  And then the boy who was a few inches taller than Brenda, almost looked excited.

        "Mark Johnson, pleased to meet you…" he said grabbing her hand and shaking it.  Then letting it go he said, "You're Brenda Sparrow, aren't you?  Daughter of Captain Jack Sparrow…"

        She narrowed her eyes, "Yer an unusual one."

        "Have you ever killed anyone?" he asked.

        She made a face saying, 'are you serious' and didn't respond.  The middle one said, "You're kinda short."  Brenda's eyes immediately made eye contact with the little girl, "How old are you, missy?"

        "Eleven."

        She smiled sarcastically, "Then I wouldn't be insultin' a pirate if I were you, lass."

        "You don't scare me.  Not when my daddy can throw you out at anytime!"

        "Caitlin!" Gwyneth said, scolding the young girl.  She looked at her aunt and lowered her head, "Sorry Aunt Gwyneth."

        Brenda shrugged and looked down at the littlest one, who was still staring with her mouth wide open. "Is she okay?" she said, to anyone who would answer.   

        "She's just taking you in…don't worry about it." Mark answered.  "The next time she sees you she won't stop asking you questions.  So where'd you get that tooth?"

        Brenda paused and looked at the three, _this is going to be a wonderful stay.  Maybe I should've stayed in the Jail…_ "There ain't more of you, are there?"

        "There are two more boys…" Gwyneth said.  "Trevor is seventeen and Jonathan who's sixteen.  But at the moment both of them are apprentice's…Trevor for a winery and Jonathan for a bakery."

        "Wine and baked goods huh?  I think I might like this house after all and then two strapping young boys…" Brenda said with a devilish grin.  Gwyneth panicked and grabbed her arm and led her down the hall, up the stairs, down another hall and into a room.  The room was medium-sized but much larger than anything Brenda had ever stayed in.  It had a large bed, which she was sure she would enjoy, large bay windows and window seats.  There was a bookshelf, a dresser and vanity.

        She paused, remembering something.  "Gwyneth, I don't have any clothes."

        Gwyneth frowned, "They're on the _Pearl_?"  Brenda nodded.  Gwyneth sighed, "Okay, we'll go shopping tomorrow.  I'm sure some men's places could tailor their clothes down to fit you.  In the meantime, did you know I have a horse?"

        Brenda spun around, completely facing her, "You have a horse?"

        Jack was sulking.  Will and Elizabeth were still trying to get used to his 'new look' which hadn't been questioned since he got here.  Rick had gone to 'take a walk' which put the couple at more ease considering he was a gruff looking person, but also gave them a chance to talk to Jack before the children came home.  

        Will approached him as Elizabeth followed, determined to just listen.  They didn't have to wait long until Jack said something.  "She didn't want to be with me…"

        "Brenda?" Will offered.  Jack nodded.  "She did seem a little mad at you for yelling at the Commodore."

        "Yes, but I'm supposed to do things like that!  I'm her father!"

        "Did you leave the _Pearl_?" Will asked.

        Jack paused, "Only temporarily."

        Will nodded, not wanting to go into something right now.  "So, who's this Rick?"

        "He lives in Nassau…I met with during my search for Barbossa and we've kept in touch since then."

        "Is he a pirate…he looks like a seaman."

        "Ay-…Yes he _was_ a pirate, but stopped.  I haven't ever asked him why."

        Will nodded, paused and then asked, "Jack…I don't want to pry…but why are you here?  You are seemingly going through a rough time…and the last time we saw you, you said you'd never come to Port Royal again."

        "I know, Will, but I had no where else to go."

        "What about your ship?"

        Jack paused, looking at him for the first time during the conversation.  "I'm not going back to my ship…Piracy is no longer my desire."


	5. Living on Land

        If Will and Elizabeth weren't shocked before, then they were now.  Captain Jack Sparrow not desire piracy?  Feel more comfortable on Port Royal than on the _Black __Pearl__?_  What had happened to him?  Elizabeth was about to ask this same question until the front door burst open and a wave of sounds and noise came through the whole house.  Elizabeth sighed and walked out of the room and told all her children to calm down and follow her.  

        One by one, five children came into the room and stood in front of their father who was seated on one of the many couches across from the chair Jack was sitting in.  "Children, I'd like you to meet Jack Sparrow," Elizabeth said, realizing that he never corrected her.  She frowned and then said, "He's going to be staying with us for a few days…so introduce yourself to him."

        Jack looked at each child in detail, each one looking prim and proper, except for the youngest.  Will had mentioned there was a child at a friend's house- maybe that's where she got mud all over herself.  For the most part they all had brown hair, some darker than others and then all of them had deep, dark brown eyes that seemed to take up their whole face.  There were two older ones who looked awfully alike.  Jack figured they were twins.  

        "I'm Sheldon," said the oldest and tallest.  

        "Also, tell him how old you are…so he'll treat you properly."

        "I'm thirteen." Sheldon said lazily.

        "I'm Suzanna and I'm also thirteen…Sheldon and I are twins if you haven't noticed…"  Jack stared at her, she was a bit hyper and overwhelming, but very pretty.

        "I figured as much las-…miss."

        "I'm Cassandra and I'm eleven…"

        "Jeffery…eight years old," said the littlest boy.  Jack's eyes widened as he noticed how much he looked like Will already.

        "And I'm Daphne…" said the little dirty girl. She had a small voice and didn't make eye contact with Jack, but on the floor.  

        Elizabeth smiled, pleased with her children and looked at Jack, he still had a look on his face.  She sighed, looked at Will and motioned for him to talk to Jack some more.  She ushered the children out of the room and closed the door behind her.  

        "Why is he here, mommy?" Daphne asked, walking with the group up stairs to their rooms.  Elizabeth sighed and squeezed her hand.

        "He's a friend of your fathers…and mine.  He's…"

        "Isn't that _Captain_ Jack Sparrow?" Sheldon asked. She looked at her son in the eye and sighed, _I remember when I had to look down to meet his gaze._  "Yes…but at the current moment he doesn't have his ship."

        "Does the Commodore know he's here?  Or Captain Briscoe?" Suzanna asked.

        Elizabeth paused, she forgot about Captain Briscoe.  "Uh…the Commodore knows."  She sighed, the kids seemed reasonably content and went into their rooms, except for Daphne who was still at Elizabeth's side.  She needed a bath.  And for right now, that's probably all Elizabeth could handle.  

***

        When Elizabeth shut the door Jack looked at Will, he finally felt free to express his emotions.  But as much as he wanted to…in a way he didn't want to.  Why put his problems on Will?  No…this was something he had to bear alone.  "Quite a brood of kids you have there…" 

        Will nodded, "Yes, it's been…interesting.  Elizabeth being pregnant four times…And the first time with twins."  He shook his head, "It was a nightmare."

        Jack laughed, "I couldn't imagine lad."

        Will paused, "Haven't you ever wanted to though?"

        "Huh?"

        "Want to experience what it's like to go through pregnancy with your wife?"

        Jack laughed, "No.  Definitely not…When Beverly had Brenda it was a living hell." He paused, "Well there were some good spots, but most of the time…horrible.  And then the actual pregnancy?  Like the babe coming out?  I had never in my entire life heard so much screaming and noise come from one woman.  I can't imagine what twins did to Lizzie."

        Will smirked, remembering, "I made the mistake of not getting ear plugs.  The times after Sheldon and Suzanna, I wore them."

        "Smart boy."

        Will smiled, still after all this time, and after the transformation of Jack- he still called Will names that implied him to be a man of twenty-three instead of a man of thirty-seven.  "So Jack, I am a little concerned about this Rick character… Daphne is young…"

        "Say no more," he said putting his hand up, "I'll talk to him tonight…speaking of which- where are we going to sleep?"

        Will sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, "In the other room there's two large, wide couches…will that do?"

        Jack nodded, "Now that I think about it…Rick must've gone and got our bags from the inn down the road…"

        "You were going to stay in an Inn?"

        "Yea, but I decided you would rather have us stay here.  I think I'm going to go look for him," he said getting up.  Will heard the front door close minutes later.  His shoulders sagged and he let out another sigh.  It was going to be a long stay.

***

        At dinner that night Gwyneth could feel how tense her brother was, which caused Faith to be tense which caused everyone else to be tense.  They ate in silence, Edward looking up everyone in a while to look at Brenda, as did Jonathan and Trevor.  Gwyneth wanted to say something, but nothing came to mind.  

        Unfortunately, something came to Brenda's mind.  "Thanks for lending me the room…it's really…swell…"

        Edward looked up from his plate, "Your welcome.  How long do you think you're going to be staying?"

        Brenda smirked, _that's code for: we want you out of the house as soon as possible but won't tell that to your face.  _"I'm not sure.  The _Pearl_ don't usually come to Port Royal.  It hasn't in fourteen years.  I'll have to get a letter out to them."

        Mark sighed in adoration, "Dad isn't that so neat that she gets to be on the _Black Pearl_?!"

        "Mark, calm down- it's just a ship."

        Brenda dropped her silverware at hearing those words, making huge amounts of noise.  She stared at her plate for a minute and then looked directly across her at the person who said it.  "Travis, right?"

        "Trevor." He said with a sneer.

        "Trevor…right…have you ever been on a ship?"

        He didn't answer.

        "I'll take your silence as a no- I would advise you _never_ to say that again.  Being on the ship is better than anything you can imagine, savvy?"

        "It's just a crutch."

        Gwyneth's eyes bulged as she saw how Brenda reacted.  Jumping across the table.  Fortunately she didn't get far before Gwyneth grabbed onto her waist and dragged her back to her seat, and then hauled her away from the dining room.  

        When Gwyneth closed and locked the doors of the parlor, she turned around to see Brenda pacing, a dagger in each hand.  She was mumbling some curse words and other names that were directed at Trevor.  Gwyneth sighed.  "Brenda, I realize he insulted your ship…but you have to understand that my brother-" 

        She was cut short when two daggers were suddenly implanted into the wall across from her.  She crossed her arms while Brenda yelled, "I don't care about your bloody brother!  I know he's housing me and stuff but his bloody son…his son…if his son was out in the real world, he would've been dead."

        "I have a feeling that he would've been dead if I didn't get a hold of you."  Gwyneth said walking over and prying the daggers out of the wall.  _Edward is going to kill me when he sees those holes._

        Brenda smirked and replaced the daggers, "I'm sorry I over-reacted…but it's understandable, right?"

        Gwyneth sighed and nodded, "Just try to be calm…Trevor and you haven't exactly gotten off to the best start."

        "Aye.  He's a putrid rat."

        Gwyneth ignored the comment, "I hope you're done eating dinner, because I don't think it'll be safe to go back in there."

        Brenda nodded and looked around the room, "Do those windows open?"

        "Yes, why?"

        "I could go ride Pearl…"

        Gwyneth smiled, thinking it would be easier to talk to her brother with Brenda out of the house.  "That's perfect.  Can you feed and brush him?"

        Brenda nodded, went over to a window and opened it and then before leaving said, "Thanks Gwen."

***

        "What are you saying, Edward?"  Gwyneth said, with her hands on her hips.  She had only been talking with her brother for about twenty minutes and already he was going back on his word.  There weren't a lot of things that go Gwyneth mad, but when it came to people she cared for, she went all out.

        He sighed and rubbed his forehead and then crossed his arms.  Wishing his wife was here.  But unfortunately she was keeping the children from eavesdropping.  "She attacked our son, Gwyneth."  He said.

        "Well…she didn't get far…" she offered weakly.  He rolled his eyes, "Don't roll your eyes at me, Eddie.  You may be forty one and I may be thirty nine, but I am still your sister."

        "She can't stay here if she's going to act like that!"

        "Are you telling me that you believe it's all her fault?"

        "Yes!"

        "She was provoked by Trevor!  You cannot look me in the eye and tell me you did not detect some _hint_ of provocation in that comment!"

        "He's a seventeen year old boy, what do you expect?"

        Gwyneth stared at her brother, "And Brenda is a seventeen year old girl…a pirate girl who has been exposed to more things than Trevor will in his whole entire life, yet she didn't provoke you or Faith into an argument.  She's been courteous and nice to you two since she got here!  I won't allow you to kick her out."

        Edward sighed.  "Fine.  I'll talk to Trevor if you talk to Brenda."

        She smiled, knowing that there was a reason why she loved her brother so much, "Of course."  He nodded and opened the door for her.  She walked out and saw Trevor in another room working on his piece of wood that was starting to look like something.

        "Where are the kids?" his father asked.

        "They went out to the stable."

        "How long ago?"

        He shrugged, "An hour?"

        Gwyneth and Edward exchanged a look and then walked out of the house and walked to the stable.  When they were coming through the door they heard someone talking, it sounded like Brenda, but it was deeper.  They got to the doorway and stood in amazement as they saw Brenda sitting on a haystack and four children sitting around her.  Jonathan, who was only a year younger than Brenda looked totally enthralled with her story, he kept adjusting his glasses and had a smile on during the whole thing.  

        Gwyneth sighed happily as she watched Brenda use her hands to talk, distort her voice, and rattle on and on about one person, giving the littlest descriptions to the most inconsequential person.  She captured her audience by everything she did.  _Good Lord, you remind me of your father…your father…_  Gwyneth bit her lip and stood in silence as Brenda continued with her story.

***

        The next morning obviously came too quickly for Brenda.  Gwyneth had tried to wake her up but it never worked.  _That girl sleeps like a rock!_  So the plans to go shopping were put off for an hour or so until Gwyneth just decided to go alone.  The children had the weekend off for school but Jonathan and Trevor were both at their jobs.  While she was out, Gwyneth wavered between going to the Commodore's house or to the Turners.  

        Gwyneth knew Will would be working and was wondering if she would need help with the two men and all the children.  Of course she also wanted to see Jack.  But she told herself that if she was going to see Jack, then she should bring Brenda.  _Eh, she's asleep.  I tried twice.  Her loss._  So she went to both homes.

        "Is the Commodore home?" She asked the man servant once she got there.  

        "Who is it Ian?" Gwyneth heard and then saw Beverly come into view.  "Gwyneth!  Why come in dear, how are you?"

        Gwyneth stepped in and tried to ignore the funny feeling she got from Beverly's warm welcome.  Some how it seemed fake.  "I'm fine, I was just looking for your husband…is he at the office?"

        She nodded, "I'm afraid so.  Is there a certain reason?"

        "Uh…Just about Jack and his daughter…I've been meaning to talk to him even before Jack's horrible display the other day."

        "So it is indeed Jack…how strange he looks."

        _He'll probably say the same thing about you…_ "Yes, he is going through a hard time…or so we hear…"

        Beverly nodded, "Well then, I'll let you get to James.  I'll see you dear."  Gwyneth nodded and then left.  She shook her head, wondering how that woman was ever wicked.

        When she finally got to the office of the Commodore, she had most of her conversation planned out.  Feeling confident about where this would lead she knocked on his door and entered when told.  "Gwyneth! Come in, sit down." He said standing and motioning to a chair.  She obliged and was about to say something when the Commodore went on. "Am I to assume that you're here on account of Mr. Sparrow?"

        "No…actually I'm here to talk about Brenda."

        He looked up from something he was writing and but his quill in its holder and gave her his full attention.  "That was going to be my second guess."

        "Why didn't you come to me about her?  Why only the Turners?"

        "Actually, I also told my wife…but there's a perfectly good reason why I did not tell you."  She waited.  He cleared his throat and said, "I didn't want to."

        She stared at him, "Because of my history with Jack?  Is that it?  Because the Turners had a longer relationship with him…but you still told them."

        "I remembered your…attachment to both Sparrow and Brenda.  I didn't want to get your hopes up when she could've…"

        She paused, waiting for him to finish his sentence but he never did, "Could've been hung you mean?"

        He nodded.  She sighed, "Commodore, I…trusted you to be able to tell me things like this.  If it had been Jack instead, would you have withheld information?"

        He didn't say anything. "Commodore, do we still have a problem?"

        "No, why would you say that?"

        "Commodore…James…we both know what caused us not to…pursue a deeper relationship.  Are you still…resentful about that?"

        "Gwyneth, I have a wonderful loving wife and four beautiful children.  I resent nothing."

        "Then why lie to me?  You must've known the Turners would come to me, so why not just tell me yourself?"

        He paused, "Like I said, I didn't want to be responsible for causing you pain.  I honestly didn't know what would've happened to the girl.  Briscoe could've gotten the King's men up here just on the basis of her last name.  Anything could've happened."

        She sighed, _I suppose that's reasonable.  Captain Briscoe is a rather uptight fellow.  _She looked at Norrington and nodded, "Alright.  I forgive and forget Commodore."

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**Author Thanks:**

**          Emma436: Oh no…you're not leaving are you?  I told you to trust me!  Don't worry…Jack's fine…and I'll of course keep my promise to my readers.**

**          Dawnie-7: I know…I was little hesitant to writing it because I'm pretty sure it's never been done…I mean _completely_ stripping Jack of external features that _define_ him!  But yea…I'm glad you're still here.**

**          Pipper8188: Yay!  You're back!  I'm glad…I thought you just hated me.  lol.  So you liked 'There's Your Trouble'?  Nice.  I'm glad you like this story so far too.**

**          Bob-The-Bear: Yay!  New reviewer!  You like my story?  Have you read the first one?  Well I'm glad you're reading!**

**          Dragonflygirl: Yea, I know I said there wasn't going to be a sequel…but I changed my mind. *smiles* You don't mind, do you?  Did I write she was dead?  Whoops…*smiles sheepishly***


	6. The Feeling I Had

       Brenda numbly descended the stairs of the large home and walked into the dining room.  By some miracle she went the right way, never tripped and got herself into a chair.  The minute she did she laid her head down on the table, hoping someone would serve her food.

        _What kind of place keeps a yappy dog anyways?_  She sighed and adjusted the nightshirt and pants she was wearing.  She never woke up this early.  She never had a need to wake up this early.  When she started whimpering, she hoped she would go unnoticed.

        Too late.

        "Geez Sparrow, I didn't think you were that spoiled."  Her head went up in an instant and saw Trevor.  _The devil boy._

        "Back off, devil boy."

        She thought he heard him laughing as she lowered her head back down.  He sat down across from her and said, "What do you want to eat, Sparrow?"

        "Why are you still talking?"

        "Because Jacque is standing behind you waiting."  

        Her head came up again and said, "Eggs…and toast…with jam…please."  He nodded and left.  She sighed and scratched her head, messing up her hair even more.  She eyed Trevor who was still sitting across from her, watching her intently.

        "Aren't you supposed to be workin' or somethin' lad?"

        "I only work half days on the weekends…I have a good boss."

        "That's peachy and all- but I'm sure you have better things to do than bother me."

        "Not really."

        She frowned, "I thought you couldn't stand me."

        "Who told you that?"

        "Your attitude at dinner last night."

        He rolled his eyes, "If attitudes told our opinion then I would say you wanted to kill me."

        "Yer not far off."

        "Why are you here?"

        She sneered, why was everyone asking her that?  _I'm sure he doesn't want me here…but first it was Norrington and then dad…dad._  "Believe me, not by choice."

        "Has something to do with your dad?"

        She eyed him, "What have you heard?"

        He shrugged and took a bite of an apple he took from the fruit basket.  Jacque came and set a plate in front of her and then left.  She dug in right away, trying to talk during the process.  "You know nothing of why I'm here, and I realize you want me to leave…but too bad."

        "Who ever thought Captain Jack Sparrow would need help from his daughter."

        She looked up, "You want me to kill you boy?"

        "I can tell Captain Briscoe of his presence in Port Royal any day."

        "No…no you can't.  Because Captain Jack Sparrow died a long time ago."

***

        One of the servants in the Turner's home answered the door when Gwyneth got there.  The house was filled with noise yet no one was in sight.  She sighed and waited patiently in the entryway.  When she heard some whistling, she smiled to herself and tilted her head down.  The whistler came into view and she had to keep herself from blushing, "Gwen?  Is that you lu…miss?"

        She looked up, hearing Jack catch himself.  Maybe he was truly 'reforming' himself.  Why else would he dress up like that?  She kept herself from frowning from seeing no change in him.  She wanted Jack back…and she wanted to know why he was gone.

        "Jack!  Hi.  Is Will or Elizabeth around?"  She covered.  Who she really wanted to talk to was him, but she didn't want to admit that.  _It isn't proper…_ she told herself.

        He looked at her and she realized that maybe his look, his hair and his way of talking was gone, but his eyes were here to stay.  "It's so good to see you Gwen."

        She smiled, feeling herself blush.  "It's good to see you too Jack…"

        "You want something to eat?"

        She shook her head but then paused, "I am hungry but I wouldn't want to-"

        "Nonsense!  Their cook is the best!  Come along…" He said walking towards the kitchen.  Gwyneth paused and then followed him.  Their kitchen was large, with a round table in the middle with seven chairs around it, no doubt the breakfast table or the table for things not so formal.  He pulled out a chair for her and she sat down.  He scooted her in and then asked what she wanted.  

        She blinked, _he's acting like such a…gentleman!  I think I'm scared…_ "Uh…some soup…"  He nodded and went into the kitchen.  She sat in silence for a minute and then thought out loud, "Will must be at work…And Elizabeth must be…well who knows where she is.  Maybe with the Governor.  He does like to have tea with her.  I do believe he knew her father.  But they've been doing it for almost ten years…"  She mumbled some more and then out of no where she heard a, "GWENY!"

        She turned and saw Daphne right before she jumped onto her lap.  She caught the little girl right before she slid off.  The girl giggled while Gwyneth thought to herself, _Oh man, I'm too old to be doing that…_  "Gweny!  You're here!  I knew someone was here!  I was hoping it was daddy, but it's you!"

        Gwyneth smiled at the Turners' littlest child enthusiasm.  "I'm glad to be here too…where are your parents?"

        "Daddy is at the shop- momma is with the Governor…Uncle Jack is supposed to watch us…"

        Gwyneth nodded, "Interesting.  Are your brother and sisters upstairs?"

        She nodded.  "Suzanna is wearing mom's makeup…she looks like a pirate."  Gwyneth smiled, trying to keep down a laugh.  That must be an interesting experience for Will and Elizabeth, as well as the rest of the house.  Gwyneth considering prying more, knowing Daphne would tell her everything, but before she could say another thing, Jack came through the room.

        "Why hello Daphne!" he said putting the bowl of soup, a cloth napkin and a soup in front of Gwyneth.  

        She looked at the floor, "Hi, Uncle Jack." And then quickly hopped down from Gwyneth's lap and walked up the stairs.  Gwyneth watched her go and then looked at him, "She's scared of you."

        "Must be, because every time I try talking to her she looks at the floor and leaves…I don't get it."

        "Maybe her siblings told her some stories…how have they been treating you anyhow?"

        Jack sighed and sat down, while she started to eat, "Sheldon…the eldest?  He's been pretty much ignoring Rick and I…Suzanna has overwhelmed us both…with perfume and questions and her talking and sometimes flirting…the girl needs a grip on her hormones."

        Gwyneth shook her head, "Yes, I do hear this boy at school wants to court her, but Will is firm in the belief she's too young.  Maybe on her next birthday."

        Jack shrugged, "And Cassandra is nice, polite and likes to hear my stories…as does…oh…"

        "Jeffery?" Gwyneth supplied.

        Jack snapped his fingers, "Yes, good.  Jeffery likes to hear my stories as well and both of them sit on my weak, old lap…and then Daphne is well…"

        "Shy."

        He nodded.  He paused before asking, "Where's Brenda?"

        "Oh!  She's back at home…sleeping.  Or was the last time I checked."

        Jack rolled his eyes, "I guess that's my fault- she does sleep in late…she likes steering 'til the wee hours of the mornin' though."  Gwyneth nodded.  "How is…she getting along with your brother's children?"

        She paused, _should I tell him of last night's incident?_  "Well Trevor, the oldest, is being somewhat rude…Jonathan, the next one, is somewhat fascinated in the raids she's done… but pretty much stick's to his books.  Mark…Mark loves her based on the fact she's a pirate.  I swear he's a boy after Elizabeth's heart.  If he ever meets you…be prepared.  Caitlin and Rebecca don't really talk to her.  Caitlin plays the 'tough girl' role as Rebecca plays the 'clueless' role.  Both pretty much keep out of her way, but everyone but Trevor loves her stories…Jack- she's amazing."

        He paused, looking at her, "Is that a complement on my parenting?"

        Gwyneth nodded, "Of course.  She's beautiful, exuberant…a bit temperamental…but wonderful.  And she absolutely adores my horse."

        "You have a horse?"

        Suddenly Gwyneth felt embarrassed that she had named the horse such a thing.  _Maybe he'll be proud…_ "Yes…Pearl.  And a little puppy, Suzette or Suzie…and tow goldfish, Steve and Jill."

        "Steve and Jill?"

        She nodded, not wanting to tell the story behind _that_.  He paused, "Any…children?"

        Gwyneth almost choked on her soup.  She swallowed and put the soup down and then finally looked up at him, "Children?"  He nodded, not asking anything more.  "Well uh…no.  I haven't been married so…well no."

        He nodded again, "You haven't been married?"

        "No."

        "Why not?"

        **I hold you in my heart.  **She paused, her back straightening when those words went through her head.  _Not now…not now!_  "I guess I didn't exactly ever…find…the right person."

        Jack nodded, acting as if he knew exactly how she felt.  She wanted to change the subject before it went any deeper, so she said, "Do you want to see your daughter?"

        His eyes lit up, "Very much so."

        "Oh…well…what about the children?"

        He paused, but before he could respond they heard the door open and close and Elizabeth whisk through the room.  "Gwyneth dear, how are you?"  

        "Oh, fine thank you, and you?"

        "Fine!  Jack, you're still here!  Is Rick?"

        "Uh…I think he's sleeping."

        "Yes, you two did have a late night.  Well that's fine.  If you want to leave- then that's fine.  I'll be here for the rest of the afternoon…" she paused, as if trying to remember something, "Gwyneth…I saw your sister-in-law in town…she invited us to her house.  She said her son has been bugging her about Jack and all her children want to see mine…so we're coming over for brunch."

        Gwyneth paused, trying to organize that in her head.  _Mark wants to meet Jack…but why would Faith voluntarily invite them over, knowing Jack would come. I wonder if she's told Eddie._

***

        Jack decided not to come to Gwyneth's house to see Brenda after all.  Elizabeth had raced around the house for awhile and then finally plopped herself down on the couch across from Jack.  After fifth sigh Elizabeth put down her sampler and stared at the man sitting across from her.  "Jack, if you wanted to go with her, then why are you still here?"

        "Elizabeth, please.  She does _not_ want to be with me."

        "She came over, didn't she?"

        "For you or Will."

        Elizabeth paused, "if it was only for us, she would've left."

        Jack looked at her, narrowing his eyes, "What are you implying?"

        She smiled, "You're a smart man, figure it out."

        It turned out that Jack, apparently wasn't a smart man and spent most of the night obsessing about Gwyneth.  He was laying on the grass in the backyard, hoping none of the kids would come out and bug him.  _It's been a long time since I've seen her…I wonder if she still has that stupid letter I wrote her…well she probably didn't think it was stupid- but…it was so long ago._

**I guess I didn't exactly ever…find…the right person.**

        Jack sighed, this wasn't exactly helping and he was sure his suit was wrinkled.  He got up and walked towards the door.  When he walked in he saw Rick coming toward him.  "I've been lookin' all over for you!  C'mon, let's get some rum."

        Jack paused, his mouth watering from the mention of rum, "I don't drink."

        "Aye, let's go." He said pulling him towards the front door.  Jack didn't put up much fight as the man servant handed him his jacket and they both went out the door.

***   

        "I thought you said you don't drink…" Rick said after Jack came to the table with two more mugs of rum.  He had had three already.  Jack shrugged and took a swig out of one.  "So..." Rick started, "Back to this 'Gwen' person."  Jack had told him bits and pieces about her, but Rick wanted to know, from Jack current state, if he could make money off this certain situation.

        Jack sighed, "We got attached to each other rather quickly…" he took another drink, "when she left I wrote her a letter…tellin' her stuff.  Boy, was that a mistake."

        "What'd you tell her?"

        Jack waved his hand, "I can't remember."

        "Interestin'…did you say you _both_ got attached to each other?"

        Jack paused, "Uh…I think, why?"

        "And you said the letter was a mistake…"

        He nodded.

        "So you don't feel anything for the lass?"

        _Now remember who you're dealin' with…_  "Not exactly…why?"

        "What if she still likes you?"

        Jack didn't respond.

        "I know a way we could find out.  And if you still have feelings for her, then of course she'll be more inclined to like you now."

        Jack felt the pang from that comment, but ignored it, "How?"

        "I bet you fifteen pounds she will admit to loving you in three weeks."

        Jack paused, _fifteen pounds…FIFTEEN POUNDS!? Three weeks…_

        **_Bet on Gwen's heart?  I thought you were trying to reform!_ **His inner voice argued.

        _I thought you wanted me not to._

_        **This is GWEN!**_

        Jack looked at Rick and sighed. 

***

        "Hey!  Watch your hands lassie!"  Gwyneth rolled her eyes, maybe buying a corset for Brenda was a bad idea, but Gwyneth had told herself that every woman needs supports…and even yearns for it.  That's how she got Brenda back there.  

        The corset had not gone over well; she pretended to faint and threatened the chambermaids to tie the corset at a reasonable tightness. Now she was trying on all the clothes that Gwyneth had brought for her, they were all pants of course, and then some shirts.  Gwyneth knew better than to force Brenda into a skirt.  

        "Well I'm not used to putting pants on ladies, ma'am." One of the chambermaids answered. 

        "Hey!  I'm no lady!  Ladies have white skin, large chests that usually look like they're about to eat everything in the room and huge dresses!  I'm no bloody lady!"

        "Brenda!" Gwyneth said, only hearing the complaint.  Brenda stuck her head around the large retractable wall.  "Are you not hearin' her?"

        Gwyneth sighed, "Thank you ladies, I'll be able to take it from here…"  They left quickly, surely happy to.  

She sighed again and walked over to Brenda, "I know how to put my own pants on…" She said covering the bare chest showing due to the corset.  

Gwyneth nodded, "Just come out and show me when you're finished."  Brenda nodded and Gwyneth walked back to the chair she was sitting in with Suzie.  She picked up the small pup and started to pet it again.  It yipped and she heard Brenda growl.  

"That dog woke me up this mornin' Gwen…"

        Gwyneth smiled, "Well then she did what I could not.  You sleep like a rock, Brenda."

        "Eh, it comes in handy when you can hear your father's snoring though the wall."

        "Brenda, why aren't you with your father?"

        "What?"  She said coming out, the pants baggy and the shirt untucked.  

        "Do you like that?" Brenda nodded. "Well…I would think you would want to be with him…"

        "I haven't seen him in sixth months because he took off- then I find out he's been with that rat, Rick?  Then he comes here?  Sorry…I'm not exactly overjoyed to see him.  And anyways, I haven't seen you in fourteen years…"

        Gwyneth paused, "Well he, Rick, and the Turners are coming over for a picnic brunch thing tomorrow afternoon…are you going to be okay?"

        "Oh yea, sure.  It's not like I can't stand being around him or I can't get along with him…I can…kinda.  But yea, no worries mate."

        Gwyneth rolled her eyes, hoping that would be the case for tomorrow.

--------------

**Author Thanks:**

**          OMG!  VICKI TURNER!  I AM SO SORRY I FORGOT TO THANK YOU IN MY LAST CHAPTER!  I'm glad you're reviewing and going to update soon.  And thanks reviewing for ch. 5…the 'good job' thing**

**          Bitty-Buffy: Omg, you're e*mail to me was cute.  I loved it.  And I take it you like the story so far…**

**          PED-Sarah: Oh…you don't like it as much…that makes me sad.  If you want to stop reading it, that's okay.  Yea…I kinda did kill Jack…but only Externally!... I'm glad you like Brenda- she thinks her mother died.  She didn't know ****Beverly**** was her mom even when she was three…so yea, but she's gunna find out sooner or later.  **

**          PinkPanther: I'm glad you like it so far.  You like Norry and Bev? Lol.  Me too.  Thanks for the review for Selfish Relations.  And I'm glad you're reviewing.  I missed you.**

**          Dragonflygirl: lol…thanks…I'm glad you like it so far.**

**          Dawnie-7: YAY!  I loved writing the flying across the table thing.  It just sound something so many people would do if they were mad, don't you think?**

**          Emma436: Well I'm glad you're still here…As long as you're not mad at me!  Jack isn't okay…at least not for now- you're right.  But he will be…until next time *smiles***


	7. The Bean

**Author's Note:  It's strange writing "James" instead of Norrington…hmmm….AND!  to end all of your questions and maybe unsaid thoughts…Do you remember from the last story that Beverly and Jack were lovers…?  Well they didn't have protection back then and ****BEVERLY**** HAD BRENDA.  Just to make sure everyone got that.  But she left after about a year…and then met Antonio blah blah, but then Jack dropped her off in ****Port Royal**** after she tried to kill everyone…and she met Norrington and THEY ARE MARRIED.  I will have a 'scene' between Jack and Beverly sooner or later so…yea.  There ye go.**

-----------

"Mom, why do we have to do this?"

        "Are you kidding me?  This is amazing!  Captain Jack Sparrow is coming!  This is enormous!"

        Trevor rolled his eyes at his little brothers obsession.  He was getting nothing out of this picnic deal.  And they weren't even going anywhere.  All of the Turner's children were too young for him- the only person who would be his age at this get together would be Brenda.

        _And we don't exactly get along too well…And Jonathan's going to be there…but he likes talking to the adults…Maybe I can sneak away to brush Pearl or something…_ He sighed and kept counting plates.  

        "Trevor, it won't be that bad.  This will give your father a chance to get to know Jack maybe…I do have some sympathy for Brenda and her father."

        "Why?"

        "Because…Trevor, just accept it.  And be civil to both of them."

        "Mom, she attacked me."

        "That's because you made her mad!" Caitlin said.

        "Stay out of this, Caitlin."

        "Holy smokes!  We've only been up a couple of hours and you children start fighting!  Caitlin, take your sister outside and play.  We can handle it from here."

        "But mom!"

        "Caitlin." Faith said sternly.

        "Yes mamma."

        Once they left she addressed the three boys, "Now I want you to all be civil to Mr. Sparrow.  Your father's going to have a hard enough time without keeping an eye on you three.  And to Will and Elizabeth's kids, be nice to them all too."

        "Did you invite anyone else, mom?" Jonathan asked.

        "Yes…The Commodore.  But I'm not quite sure he'll come."

        "Oh, didn't Aunt Gwyneth tell you?" Mark said, "Jack got mad and went over to the Commodore's…blew up at him- but Gwyneth said it was okay because they know each other but he had a problem with his wife, Beverly."

        "Oh dear."

***

        A knock sounded on Gwyneth's door as she lay in bed staring at a piece of work she herself had made a long time ago.  Faith sighed when she saw the sight.  "Still abed at this hour?  The day has begun hours ago!  You missed breakfast!"

        "I don't think I can go…"

        "What?  Go where?"

        "To the brunch…picnic thing…" she looked down, examining her nails.

        "Gwyneth…" Faith said coming in and closing the door carefully behind her, "Why not, dear?"

        She shrugged, "I'm not necessarily up to it...you know?"

        "No, I don't.  Does this have anything to do with Jack?"

        Gwyneth paused, and eyed the art work hanging on the wall, and then looked back at her nails, "No…" she said slowly.

        Faith sighed, "Gwyneth Marie!  You are a woman of thirty nine!  Do not tell me that you're boy shy."

        A faint smile crept onto her face upon hearing her age and the word 'boy' referring to Jack.  "He's hardly a boy, Faith.  He's in his fifties…and quite ill."

        "Ill?  How so?"

        "You'll see…"

        Faith paused, "Gwyneth, look at my face- at my eyes."  Gwyneth obeyed slowly, regretting it the minute she did, "Does it look like I care?"

        "Faith!  That's a horrible thing to say!"

        "Gwyneth, you're having a pity party about who knows what. You can't hide from your problems nor ignore them.  You have to _face_ them."

        Gwyneth sighed, "Faith, I am old enough to make my own decisions…"  Faith nodded in a mocking tone as she walked towards the end of the bed, and in one quick, strong move she ripped the blankets from the bed.  "Yes, and I am older."

        While Gwyneth was in her bath tub, behind a closed door, Faith waited for the right opportunity to tell her of the Commodore's invitation and how they should handle this.  But 'tact' was not Faith's middle name.  "Gwyneth…I'm afraid I have stumbled upon some bad news…"

        "Why kind of bad news?"

        "Uhm…I invited someone else to our picnic without realizing the trouble in the invitation…"

        "Who, Faith?"

        "The Commodore," Faith waited to hear a response but heard nothing.  Nothing but swashing water and towels being ripped off the wall and maids moaning.  The door was practically ripped off it's hinges, "Why would you invite Jack Sparrow and his pirate friend and the Commodore all to the same party?  And his wife!  Who…knows Jack!  This could ruin the whole party!"

        "Well see…I figured the Commodore was alright with Jack…now…and well I didn't know about Beverly and Jack."

        "And you still don't!  Faith…"  Gwyneth paused, pacing.  

        "You've got to talk to Jack."

        "Me?" Gwyneth squawked.

        "Yes!  Tell him to be refined…anything!"

        Gwyneth paused, _with my luck this will be the one time he'll act like the real Captain Jack Sparrow we all know and love…_  "Fine.  But only for your sake."

        "Great, now get dressed, I thought I heard people arriving."

***

        "James, tell me again why we're doing this…" The Commodore, Beverly and their four children had all piled into a carriage and dressed up for the Johnson's invitation to their brunch picnic.  

        "I thought you were okay with this…"

        "Well I thought I was, but now that it's come time to do this…I'm not sure if I want to do this…"

        "Beverly, does this have to do with Jack?"  Norrington had asked this question in the middle of the night when Beverly's rhythmic breathing matched his.  When deep in the night she would turn over and grab on to him.  That one question plagued him during those times.  He tried to push it out of his head, but the thought of his wife and Jack together…

        She paused, _the children are around…I've told James of Antonio minus the pirate and soul thing…and he's been the most forgiving husband I could ever wish for…but why tell him this after so long?  After fourteen years?  And here of all places?  _"No.  I'm just…I don't know.  Nervous.  I mean he rescued me all those years ago…but beyond that…" she stopped, she couldn't lie to him to his face. 

        "What are you going to tell Captain Regan?" The Commodore and Beverly turned their eyes to their oldest son, Samuel who was Antonio's child, and currently an apprentice for Will Turner.  

        "What do you mean?" 

        "Dad, he's going to find out sooner or later that Jack Sparrow is here…"

        Norrington paused, knowing this fact himself.  He hadn't breathed a word of this to the Captain, but knew the subject might come up or word might get to him…after all, the Turner's had children and their house was in the middle of a large community.  Something might leak.

        He sighed, "I'll deal with it when and if it comes."

***

        The Turners, Jack and Rick arrived only a few seconds behind the Norrington's.  The Johnson house was filled with noise almost instantly.  Children screaming and yelling, parents yelling over the children, and saying hellos and talking, then trying to direct everyone outside.

        Jack was the first to go up to the Commodore and shake his hand, Gwyneth witnessed this from the top of the stairs and then saw the look on his face when he shook Beverly's hand.  He introduced Rick and over all the hustle and bustle, the two were introduced to the Norrington's four children. Samuel, who was fifteen, Charity who was nine, James Jr. who was seven and Emily who was four.  

        The Norrington brood excused themselves, and Elizabeth made Rick her 'special guest'.  So as Jack lagged behind, Gwyneth hurried down the stairs, seeing Mark also coming towards him.  She reached him first however, touching his shoulder and then seeing his face light up when he saw her.  But they didn't get to say much before Mark got his attention.

        For a minute he stood in awe but then finally said, "Oh my gosh…it's you…you're you…I will always remember this as the day that I met Captain Jack Sparrow!...but what happened to you…?"

        Jack paused, trying to sort everything Mark had just asked him and then wondering if he should answer the question.  "Who are you?"

        "Mark Johnson.  Middle Child, fourteen."  He stuck out his hand and Jack looked at it for a minute and then shook it.  "It is an _honor_ to meet a pirate such as yourself…believe me, your daughter doesn't even _compare_ to you."

        Jack paused and looked at Gwyneth, "Where is my daughter?"

        Gwyneth looked around and then said, "Well she's not here, that's for sure.  But we'll find her…I have a pretty good idea where she is anyhow…"

        Jack nodded and took in a deep breath.  He held out his arm for Gwyneth to take, which she did, and together they walked into the garden to Jack's first social picnic.

***

        Eating was probably the easiest thing for all of the adults, plus Brenda and Trevor.  Jack had found Brenda in the barn brushing Pearl.  He admired the horse but then asked her to join everyone else.  Throughout the whole afternoon, Jack felt everyone's eyes on him.  Sure, he looked different, but he didn't think he would feel this uncomfortable.  

        He tried to keep his gaze away from Beverly and Norrington.  The lunch consisted of a large blanket, many parasols, low chairs and lots of finger foods.  The Commodore was sitting in a chair but Beverly leaned against him.  Somehow this disturbed Jack.  He knew that he had gotten over Beverly a long time ago, that he may have feelings for her, but nothing deep and nothing that meant anything.  She belonged to the Commodore, he needed to accept that.

        _I knew she would fit in here.  __Port Royal__ is a wonderful place.  If you're not a pirate._  He paused and looked over at Rick.  He seemed calm and laidback, which was totally like him.  He didn't fuss about a lot, and didn't worry either.  Even if his ship was under attack, he kept his head.  _Good pirate…_

        **_So were you…_**

****_Oh hush._

        "Jack?"  He snapped his head to the female voice calling him, it was Faith who was across the blanket from him, "I'm sorry, what?"

        "I just asked what brought you here," answered Edward.  Jack met his gaze, it was cold.  

        "Uh…just thought I'd drop by to see Will and Elizabeth."

        "And your daughter, did you not know she was here?"

        "No, you see, we captured her off our shores…" Norrington answered looking from Edward to Jack.  Jack nodded and noticed for the first time, none of them had their wigs on- the men at least.  Will of course didn't wear one, but what of Norrington and Edward?  He eased up a bit, realizing that this wasn't as _social_ as he first thought.  

        He studied the Commodore's hair, noticing that it was mostly brown, but with a lot of gray mixed in.  _He's getting old…as are we all…he must be retiring soon…_  "So, Commodore, how much longer do you plan to be the Commodore?"

        He paused, looked at Beverly and then looked at the whole group.  "Uh…funny you bring that up, Sparrow.  I uh…I'm retiring this year.  It's my last year as Commodore."

        Everyone paused, not sure what to say, so he went on, "I'm forty nine years old…I have a four year old and I'm ready to be at home with my wife and my children."

        "Then that must mean Captain Briscoe is going to be Commodore…" Elizabeth concluded.  Norrington nodded.  

***

        After an hour or so, the children had dispersed and left to play with Suzette or Pearl or just run around on the spacious grounds.  The adults were left with nothing but small talk.  Rick had leaned over and whispered to Jack, "Don't forget about our bet."

        A shiver ran down his spine as he closed his eyes remembering the night before.  _Our Bet?__ How could I agree to something like that?  I'm not like that anymore!  I'm not going to sell Gwyneth out for fifteen pounds.  I can't.  I won't._

**...our bet.******

He sighed and opened his eyes, and nodded.  He couldn't break a bet, no matter how outlandish it was, he couldn't do it.  Maybe he had changed his appearance and tried to change his heart and soul, but that was one thing he couldn't change.  

        **_What do you care?  You don't like her anymore…at least that's what you told Rick…_**__

_        You always seem to pop up at all the wrong times!_

Jack looked around the group, Brenda had disappeared.  He frowned and excused himself to go look for her.  The first place he went looking was the stable.  Pearl had most likely been taken by some of the children, making the small space a little eerie, to outsiders.  Jack was no outsider.  Especially to the Caribbean, the stable had plenty of holes and places for windows that the sun shone through very easily.  _If Brenda was anywhere, it would be here._  "Hey Bean?" Jack called, her nickname that he used when she was younger and now when no one else was around.  "You in here?"

        He heard a sigh and looked up, she was sitting on a ledge.  _There's no way I'm going to be able to get up there._  "What you are you doing up there?"

        "Dad, I want to go home." She said, consciously trying not to sound pouty.  

        "There's the problem bean, home is…well neither of us knows where home is."

        She sighed again and slowly got down and went to Jack.  He opened his arms and she went to them and put her own arms around him.  She closed her eyes, feeling content.  She normally wasn't like this.  She didn't like to be touched by people other than her father.  And she and her always had a special connection- she could always tell him anything and visa versa.  She didn't like him hugging her or calling her 'bean' in public, but only in the privacy of one of their cabins- or in this case, the privacy of a small stable. 

        "You don't like this part deal, do you?"

        She shook her head, "I don't particularly like bein' on land either." _And I don't like that you're still lookin' like this,_ she thought to herself.

        "But the Johnson's have been nice…no?"

        Brenda paused, "In a matter of speakin', yea…"

        Jack nodded and squeezed her tighter, "I'm sorry I took off."

        She rolled her eyes, "If you were sorry then you would've at least told me.  It's not as if I would've commanded you to stay."

        Jack pulled away from her, "I don't have to tell you anything…I'm the father in this relationship,"

        "Then start acting like it!  A father doesn't leave their children without a moments notice or a note or anything!  How was I supposed to know if you just left or were kidnapped or if you were alright?"

        He paused, "I can take care of myself."

        "Of course you can, but usually when you 'take care of yerself' you get yerself into trouble."

        "I said I'm sorry alright?"

        "Does that mean you'll come back to the _Pearl_ with me?"

        Jack paused, and slowly shook his head, "I'm afraid not, bean."

        She stood there for a minute staring at him, her eyes wide and her face unbelieving.  _He can't be serious._  "Yer gunna go back with that rat?"

        "His name is Rick, bean."

        Her temper rose, "Dad!  He's scum!  I don't understand why yer even friends with him!  You have nothing in common…anymore!"

        "Brenda, don't call him scum.  He's been my friend for a long time, and you should appreciate that."

        She stepped back and crossed her arms, trying to block him out.  "He and I have gotten along fine for six months and we'll get along fine for the rest of our lives." 

        "The rest of your lives?" she repeated, "You mean yer gunna retire and live with that bum?!"

        Jack didn't respond, thinking the answer was obvious.  She rolled her eyes and left the stable in a huff.  When Jack returned to the picnic, Norrington and his family were gone and Elizabeth was rounding up her group.  Will was saying goodbye to Edward and Rick was in the background, watching.  Gwyneth walked up to Jack and said, "What happened?  Brenda went by a couple minutes ago and stormed into the house…"

        He shrugged, "She's angry, she'll get over it."

        She nodded, looking towards the house; _I should go talk to her before she rips her room apart._  "Gwen," Jack said, turning her attention back to him, "How about we have our own little picnic?  Talk about old times?"

        Gwyneth knew her face was white because she felt the blood rushing from it.  _This was why I wanted to stay in my room…_  She didn't want this to happen.  She didn't necessarily want to get involved with Jack again, but he was pushing his way into her life.  "Sure…" she said weakly.  He smiled, "I'll be here around noon…" she nodded and he kissed her cheek and made his way toward the carriage that was waiting out front.  She saw Rick smile at him and pat him on the back and then both of them disappear around the corner.

-------------

**Author Thanks:**

**          Emma436: Omg!  I loved your long review!  Yay!  I do feel loved.  And I wasn't necessarily making fun of you…I was just making fun of the fact that you think you say it too much…I don't care if you say it.  I mean I kinda noticed it, but I thought it was like your trade mark or something.  Yea…the fifteen pound thing…I haven't gotten a review yet to say how horrible Rick was to suggesting that…oh well.  I hope my author's note cleared up the Beverly-Brenda thing. **

**          Vicki Turner: Well I'm glad you like my story!  And I'm glad you think it's good…but I do like to encourage people to write me more reviews…I like hearing from people. Omg!  I was reading your profile and it was so cool to find out you're a Christian because I am too!  I just thought I'd say that.**

**          Bitty-Buffy: I do update quickly…don't I?  Well I wrote like five chapters before I even posted…so yea.  Sooner or later it'll catch up with me and it'll take a little longer to post…but thanks.**

**          Dragonflygirl: Thanks!**

**          Dawnie-7: lol…Jack and Gwen's first scene…you crack me up.  I like writing this one more…I'm not sure why but I did.  I'm glad you think I did a good job!  **

**          Piper8188: Good theory! You're kinda close.  But I will get to that sooner or later…like why he's acting like this.  But think of the title…his age has something to do with it.  And Rick- his background will be explained soon too.  He's kinda freaking me out too.  **


	8. Fall On You

**Author's Note: AHHH!!!  This is my longest chapter so far!  YAY!  Tell me if you like it or not…I mean the length of the chapter.  **

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Gwyneth stood there for a moment before someone grabbed on her hand and started pulling on it. She looked down to see Rebecca.  "Becky!  Did you like the picnic?"

        "What's wrong, Aunt Gweny?"

        She sighed, looked at where Jack disappeared and looked at her niece, "Nothing dear, just a shock.  Let's go help your mom get the stuff in."  The little girl nodded and they went to the picnic area.  When they walked up, everyone was talking but stopped once they noticed Gwyneth.  She narrowed her eyes as Rebecca let go of her aunt's hand.  "What were you guys talking about?"

        "The fact that Jack Sparrow just asked you out," Caitlin said bluntly.

        "And that _Captain _Jack Sparrow doesn't look like a pirate anymore…more like a confused gentleman," Mark added, crossing his arms. 

        "I had always imagined him…taller." Edward put in.

        Gwyneth looked at all of them, "You only invited him to…check him out?  To see what he was like?"  No one answered.  "You're pitiful!"  She said with a smile.  

        "So, did you say yes?"

        Gwyneth looked at Trevor, "Yes to what?"

        "To Jack!" Caitlin said, thoroughly excited.

        She paused, "I don't think it's any of your business."  She said walking with Edward and Faith, leaving the children behind, whining.  They ran to catch up with the adults, in the house and starting putting things away.  "C'mon Aunt Gwyneth!  Tell us!  Please?" she heard from all of the kids.

        She sighed happily and shook her head, even though inside she wanted to cry.  _Why is he doing this? I don't want to go out alone with him…_  Edward finally told the inquiring offspring to cut it out and go find something to do.  Once the whining was no longer present, everyone heard a crashing sound from upstairs.  Gwyneth looked at her brother, "I will pay for whatever she is breaking."  And then they heard a loud scream.  She rolled her eyes and ran up to Brenda's room.

***

        When Brenda's door opened sharply, she pointed her pistol at the intruder and then lowered it. "Sorry Gwen, I didn't know it was you."

        "What did you do to this room?"  She asked, surveying the damage.  The entire bookshelf was knocked over, the cushions on the window seat: thrown across the room, the bed was messed up horribly, the drawers in the vanity were also across the room and the mirror was cracked.

        "I was mad." She said plainly.

        Gwyneth stared at her, then looked at the dagger on the floor, "I think you have an anger management problem."

        "I live with Jack Sparrow…what do you expect?"

        "Why are you bleeding?!"

        Brenda looked down; blood was seeping through her corset.  She growled, "How is it that I can cut myself with that bloody dagger but I can't cut the corset?!"

        Gwyneth sighed, "You need help?"  The look Brenda gave her was more than enough for an answer.  She nodded and turned her around; "Once I get it off, I'll fix up the scratch…" she paused, seeing a familiar tattoo on her shoulder blade.  "Is this a real tattoo, Brenda?" Gwyneth asked.

        She nodded.  "Dad gave it to me when I turned thirteen.  He told me that I was a woman and I need to carry the Sparrow name proudly."  Gwyneth eyed the tattoo, the same one that was on Jack wrist, of a sparrow in flight.  

        She untied the corset and Brenda quickly went behind the changing wall.  Gwyneth sighed as Brenda started to change, "Brenda, why did you destroy your room?"

        "I told you…I was mad."

        Gwyneth rolled her eyes, "And that's a good reason to destroy a room that doesn't even belong to you?!"  Brenda sighed, seeing the woman's point.  "I'm sorry Gwen."

        "That's fine…now come out here so I can look at your wound."

        Brenda grinned, "Wound?  I'm not mortally wounded…I've scratched myself before…"

        "I realize that…but I want to make sure you're okay."  Brenda sighed and followed her directions.  She lifted up Brenda's shirt far enough to see the scratch and to see indeed, it was only a scratch.  _This is what it must feel like to have a mom..._

        "Why were you mad…?" 

_Jeez! She's worse than dad!_  Brenda sighed, "Dad…he said he was thinking of staying with Rick…"

        "Well, that would make sense…Will and Elizabeth can't keep him forever."

        Brenda put her shirt down and looked Gwyneth in the eyes, "Stay with him…endlessly."

        Gwyneth's eyes widened, "He's not going to go back to the _Pearl__?_"  Brenda shook her head, "Maybe you should tell me everything that's been happening with Jack…"

        She sighed and walked over to the window, "There's nothing to tell, Dad's lost it…and there's nothing I can do about it."

        There was a sharp knock on the door before Gwyneth could respond.  "Who is it?"

        "Edward, is it decent in there?"

        Gwyneth looked around, _no, not really.  _"Just a sec, Eddie, I'll be right out."  She paused and looked at Brenda, knowing the young woman wouldn't talk until she was ready.  _I hope she'll tell me though…even though pirates aren't known for their heart-to-heart talks…_  "If you need me…"  She saw Brenda nod as her eyes seemed to glaze over as her focused turned to something else other than the ocean that lay in the distance.  Gwyneth noted this and quickly left.  

        "What is it you want to talk about, Eddie?" Gwyneth asked once she was outside Brenda's room and the door was shut.  

        He took in a deep breath, "Let's talk in the drawing room, shall we?"  She eyed him and nodded.  They walked down the stairs; he opened the door for her and then went in himself and shut it behind him.  He took in another breath and faced his baby sister.  "Gwen…we need to talk…"

        "Just come right out and say it Eddie, we're both adults, right?"

        "Yes, of course, and I don't want to offend you Gwen, but you can't go with him."

        She stared at her brother for a minute, drawing a blank about what he was talking about. "Eddie…please be more explicit."  

        "You can't go on this 'meeting' with Jack Sparrow."

        _Like this whole thing isn't hard enough…_ she said, her defenses going up, "Pray tell, why can't I, a woman of thirty nine go have lunch with Jack Sparrow?"

        He paused, "Gwen, don't take this the wrong way- just believe me when I say it won't be safe."

        "Both of us are adults, Eddie!  He asked me to go have lunch with him and I said yes!  I'm going."

        "It won't be a big deal if you cancel."

        "You're right, because I'm not going to cancel!  There's no reason to.  And there's no plausible reason as to why this lunch will be unsafe for me!"

        "Save for the fact that he's Jack Sparrow!"

        "Minus the pirate Captain part, Eddie.  Did you not see him this morning?  He does indeed look like a confused gentleman.  If he was who he was fourteen years ago then I would be a little more hesitant to do this…but he's different."

        "You sound…not pleased with that fact…"

        She raised an eyebrow.  _I'm not going to get into that with him,_ "I'm going Edward.  There's nothing you can do to stop me.  Now, if you excuse me, I'm sure Steven and Jill need to be fed and Suzette needs to be walked."

***

        Jack sighed and closed his eyes, the sound of the ocean soothing him more than he had expected.  He was outside Will and Elizabeth's house, on their porch swing, the beach in walking distance.  _It's been so long…_ he thought to himself.  The waves crashing against the water reminded him of his own life.  He leaned against the back of the bench and swayed a little bit.  

        A few minutes later he felt someone sit next to him, figuring it was Elizabeth he said, "You can't help me this time, Lizzie."

        "Why not?"

        Jack paused, that voice wasn't Elizabeth.  He slowly opened his eyes and looked at the girl sitting across from him on the bench.  "Cassandra…"  _Boy, she looks like her mother.  She has a ton of freckles…I wonder if Lizzie ever had freckles…_

        "What's wrong?"

        "Did your parents send you out here?"

        She shook her head, causing her dark brown curls to waver.  "This bench is used a lot…especially when someone is having a problem.  We always know not to come out here if mom and papa are sitting here."

        Jack nodded and looked out onto the ocean again, "You like the ocean?" she asked.  He nodded.  "Didn't you used to be…" she stopped.  He looked at her, motioning her to continue, "…a pirate?"

        He sighed, "Aye…Yes, I did."

        "What happened?"

        He looked at the little girl, "Something that couldn't be fixed."

        Cassandra nodded, knowing that when adults got tricky in their language, they didn't want to tell you.  She sighed, "Are you going to see your daughter tomorrow?"

        He shook his head, "I'm going out to lunch with Gwen."

        "You mean Gwyneth.  Nobody except her brother calls her 'Gwen'."

        He looked down at her, "Has your father ever told you about me?"

        She nodded, a beautiful smile spreading quickly across her face, "Momma did.  She told me all your wild stories about Nassau Port and even here, in Port Royal…you led an exciting life."

        He nodded, looking back onto the ocean, "Sometimes I wish I didn't."

        "Why not?"

        "Because it gets me into trouble."

        "With that Rick fellow?" she asked, knowing she hit the target when she saw him close his eyes and then open them slowly.  He never answered though.  "Well, I better get going…I'll see you later…"

        "Call me Jack," he said, never moving his eyes.

        She nodded, "I'll see you later Jack."

***

        _The nerve of him, telling me that I can't be with Jack.__  It hasn't even gone that far and he's going so far as telling me I can't have lunch with him!  _Gwyneth growled under her breath as she paced her room, the sound of Suzette's paws following her.  She had opened the window to hear the sounds of the far away ocean and the sound of the trees as the warm, Caribbean wind brushed past them like a blanket.  

        The walk hadn't helped a lot, but the anger had died down.  _As if this isn't hard enough…_  She sighed.  She wasn't sure why she kept saying that over and over to herself, but it had something to do with their past.  _Do Jack and I even have a past?  A romantic past?  _She paused in her pacing and turned to her bed.  She sighed and bent down and reached her arms underneath until they hit something hard.  She pulled out a handmade, wooden box and blew off the dust.  She opened it like it was a door to a church and took out the piece of paper that hadn't been disturbed for a long time.

        She unfolded it and read over it quickly.  

        **Gwen,**

**                   Understand luv, that this is my first letter- don't be too judging.  Your letter brought a smile to my lips.  Thanks luv for doing such a thing to Brenda's hair.  But the thing that caught my eye is that it will make me think of you.  Which is something I'm happy for.  **

**          I wish you happyness with your life in ****Port Royal****.  You won't be seeing me for a while luv, and I would like to tell you something.  Something I hope you will always remember- our time together won't be forgotten and I do in fact…care deeply for you luv.  I hold you in my heart.  **

**                                                                                                                                      -Jack**

        She sighed and looked out her window, the green grass, blue sky and seemingly endless houses filled her vision.  She tried to remember what went through her head when she first read this.  She remembered how she smiled when she read the word 'happyness', how she felt a peace sweep over her the minute she read this.  It was closure on the whole event.

        _So much for closure._

        There was a knock on her door and she paused, "Just a sec!" she quickly stuffed the note back into the box and slid it underneath the bed again. "Come in!" she yelled.  

        The door opened to reveal all five of her nieces and nephews.  She sighed and smiled, _somehow they always know how I'm feeling…_  "Come on in." she said.  Rebecca and Caitlin climbed on the bed, calling Suzie up to them, Jonathan and Mark took the window seat and Trevor, he leaned against the wall, crossing his arms and looking so much like a man.

        She looked around the room and sat at her vanity.  "Well go ahead, I know you want to say _something_."

        All the children looked at each other and then at Trevor.  He sighed and looked at his aunt, "Is there anything between you and Jack?"

        She paused, "We're only going to eat lunch together!  Why does everyone make such a big deal about it?!"  They all paused.  She took in a deep breath, _bad form, Gwyneth._  "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have yelled…"

        "It's okay, we know you're stressed." Caitlin said.

        "And in love," Rebecca added.  Gwyneth laughed half-heartedly.  The room grew quiet again and Mark's eyes widened, as did all the children's as the reaction to Rebecca's comment left an impact on Gwyneth. "I am _not_ in love with him…" she said, sounding as if she was trying to convince herself.

        "You're in love with _the_ Captain Jack Sparrow!" Mark said, standing up, getting excited.  

        "No…no I'm not!" she said, a smile making it's way to her mouth and shaking her head, "I haven't seen him in fourteen years!"

        "You did blush when he asked you out…" Jonathan said, also getting up and walking towards her.  The girls on the bed giggled as she shook her head more.

        "You guys!  No!  Jack is…Is…"

        "Love!"  Rebecca shouted.

        Gwyneth's mouth dropped as they got closer.  She stood up, trying to maintain the 'Aunt' image.  It wasn't working that well.  "Alright!...Alright…now maybe Jack and I had a…relationship but nothing more.  You five need to keep your thoughts and dreams to yourselves.  Jack and I will never…"

        "Get married?" Trevor asked, he was still leaning against the wall, looking calm.  Gwyneth eyed him, making eye contact with him.

        "Yea…get married."

***

        After dinner Brenda had made a run for it.  She said she needed some air and was going to walk down to the town to get a drink.  She had told Gwyneth not to wait up for her.  _I'm surprised Edward and Faith didn't throw a fit when she said she needed a drink.  _Gwyneth thought to herself as she climbed the stairs to the boys' room.  She wanted to talk to Trevor, but he was leaving soon to go out with his buddies. _ I just hope Trevor and Brenda don't go to the same place.  _

        She knocked on his door and he opened it with a, "Yes?"

        She half smiled, "Can we talk?"  He paused and then nodded, opened the door and let her in.  She thanked him and looked around, the room was empty.  "Where's Jonathan and Mark?"

        "They went to go look at the history books in dad's library…hoping to find more information about Jack Sparrow…and possibly Brenda."

        She nodded, "That display in my room this afternoon…"  He looked at her, like he didn't know what she was talking about.  "About not wanting to marry Jack…"

        "You mean you do?"

        "No! No…it's just you acted as if…"

        "I knew?"

        She eyed him, "Your mother told you, didn't she?"

        He nodded.  "But she said that she had your permission to!  That when I asked…she asked you."

        Gwyneth frowned, "I vaguely remember that…I guess it's alright. So I guess she told you everything…"

        He nodded again.  "It's alright, I don't care.  It's dad that cares about what happens between you and Jack."

        She grimaced, "I know…But nothings going to happen.  Nothing."

        Trevor stared at her.

        "Nothing!  It's like something between you and Brenda…no.  He's a…well a pirate…kinda…and I'm not.  I'm a 'landlubber' and we will never be together."

        "Do you want to be with him though?" he asked, going over to his desk and picking up a comb for his hair. She looked away but didn't answer.  He sighed, "You know, he could…retire here."

        "Pirates don't retire…they just take it a little easier…" she said mindlessly.  Trevor put down the comb and sighed again, staring at his aunt who obviously had her mind elsewhere.

        "I'm sorry…I won't bring up Jack around the others again…" he said, keeping his eyes on her but walking to the door.

        She looked at him and nodded, "Thanks."

        "But I can understand how you feel about Jack…" he said and then disappeared through the door, leaving Gwyneth completely clueless.

***

        "Yo ho…hup…yo ho, a bottle of –hup- rum for me…No wait, that's not –hup- the right words." Brenda sighed.  _Hiccups are a bloody nuisance.  Whoever created them should be shot._  She was stumbling up the long hill to Gwyneth's house.  It was a miracle she (literally) bumped into someone who knew where the house was, and pointed her in the right direction.  

        She had been hearing footsteps behind her, but wasn't quite sure if they were real or just a figment of her…drunken imagination.  _But I can defend myself…dad says I can shoot pretty well even when I am drunk!_  She sighed contently, happy with herself that she could still shoot a pistol even in her current position.  

        _I shouldn't have drunk so much…but that was really good.  And there were some interestin' people there…_  She hiccupped again.  She growled at the hiccups and kept walking.  "I sure wish I had someone to help me…" she paused and turned and looked behind her, "Hey you! Is there a you out there?"  She heard something sigh heavily.  "Ha!  I caught you, you yellow-belly coward!  Come out of the shadows and help me!"  The person walked closer and who was it, but none other than Trevor.

        "Oh!  Devil boy!  Nice to see you."

        He rolled his eyes, "What are you doing?"

        She wavered back and forth and grabbed on to his arm to keep from falling over, "I'm walkin' to Gwen's house.  What are ye doin'?"

        "Going home." He said jerking his arm away and walking further. 

        "Hey!  Hey!  Come help me!"

        He turned, "Are you seriously asking me for help?"

        She pointed a finger at him, "Never have it be said that Brenda Sparrow ain't afraid t'ask someone for help when drunk…" she swallowed, "Recklessly drunk…" she hiccupped again and fell over on her backside.  She moaned as Trevor walked to her and knelt down.  "Get away from me, Devil Boy!"

        "I thought you said you needed help!"

        "Not from you…you'll probably roll me down this hill."

        "And you'd probably shoot me in the back if I didn't help you."

        "Nonsense!  I wouldn't shoot you in the back.  I'd make you turn around."

        He sighed and held out his hand.  She stared at it and then looked at him, "What?"

        "Get up."

        She frowned and took his hand, hoisting herself up. He put his arm around her waist and walked with her, "How is it, that all of the sudden you can't walk?"

        "Because the wooden fence I was holdin' on to ended back there, lad."

        He nodded, _I hope mom and dad aren't up…I'm not sure they would like to see this… _he got both of them up to the door, Brenda babbling the whole way.  Once he got to the door he turned her to face him, "Now, you need to be quiet, I don't want to wake up the whole house."

        She frowned, "Aww…I'm not that loud, am I?"

        "Yes, yes you are."

        She sighed and her head dropped, "Oh man…I shouldn't have drunk so much."

        "No…no…no.  C'mon, stay awake!"

        She rolled her head onto his shoulder and moaned, "Thomas…I can't…"

        "It's Trevor."

        "Whatever…" she said, fading fast.

        "Does this always happen to you?"

        "Yes…But usually I'm in my bed when it does…" 

        _What?  Is this a drinking disease?_  He sighed and said, "You can make it, c'mon."

        "No…I can't…" she said and then fell.  Trevor caught her fast, her body limp in his arms.  He sighed and picked up her legs and carefully opened the front door.  He didn't get far without noticing Gwyneth asleep on the couch in the front room.  He sighed and told himself he'd get her next.  _She was probably waiting for Brenda…she really cares about this girl._  He looked down at the young woman in his arms and sighed, shaking his head and walked up the stairs.  

        Gwyneth wasn't sleeping though.  The light sleeper she is, she woke up when the door creaked open.  But not wanting to cause a scene, she kept her eyes practically closed, with little slits to see if Trevor was going where he was supposed to go.  _She must've been drunk.  That or he poisoned her._

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**Author Thanks**

**          Dawnie-7: Yes!  I know!  Rick is a dubious person isn't he?  But yea, the bet will turn… well difficult sooner or later**

**          Bitty-Buffy: lol…thanks.  I was kinda worried at first but then I still got reviews so yea.**

**          Dragonflygirl: Yes, I like 'bean' too.**

**          Piper8188: Nice long review!  YES!  Uh the Jacks sick thing…I said he was 'ill' because he's not to everyone else, he seems ill in the head…you know?  Like he's not alright 'up there'.  Well from the last story, Gwen told Faith everything that had happened…so yea…I'm not sure what you're exactly talking about but I hope that might've helped.  The reason to Brenda not liking him but Jack liking him…that'll be explained later…  Right on!  You're a Christian too?  Nice.**

**          Vicki Turner: Yea, it's awesome…I'm glad you liked my chapter**


	9. Remember When

**Author's note: Sorry I didn't post sooner, but I just got back from a 30-hour famine with my church!  It was awesome!  We went 30 hours without food to raise money for starving families in ****Peru**** and ****Ethiopia****! It is possible…my stomach didn't start growling until today…like early today…like eleven.  But yea…read my chapter!**

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Beverly stood in front of the fire alone and stared into it.  She had been standing her near an hour, just gazing at the portraits of her and James, and the children.  She sighed and crossed her arms.  The whole day had been trying.  Although she had tried her hardest not to show her anxiety about being around Jack, she was sure something slipped out.

        She relaxed when two warm, arms wrapped themselves around her.  She closed her eyes and leaned back, feeling the soft chest of her husband.  He kissed her temple and said, "What's wrong?"

        "Hmm…Nothing…"

        "Don't lie to me, Bev."

        "James…The picnic thing today…Jack looked so strange."

        He sighed; he had feared that was what was wrong with his wife. "He does…I understand he's going through a bit of transitional period, like I had a couple years ago."

        She smiled at the memory, "That _was_ you who wanted to become a pirate, wasn't it?"

        He laughed, "Yes.  So I'm sure he's going through the same thing.  Heaven knows why.  He's much older than I was when it happened."

        She nodded, "Would it bother you if I asked to see him?"

        He paused, "Why would you want to do that?" he asked, tightening his grip around her.

        Beverly felt his arms and smiled, "I just want to talk to him…nothing to worry about James, I promise."

        "Can I be here?"

        She shook her head and turned around, "And I realize that's a horrible thing to ask James, but what I have to say needs to be said in private."

        He took a deep breath and nodded, "Okay, I trust you," and kissed her on the lips.

***

        Brenda moaned when the sound of a yappy dog filled her bedroom window.  She had somewhat grown attached to the little beagle, but in the mornings when she wanted her sleep, she wanted to shoot it.  And this morning was worse considering her massive hangover caused by the night before.  She growled and grabbed one of the many pillows on the bed and covered her ears.  

        Gwyneth quickly came out of her room, rushing to the little dog yappy and scratching at Brenda's door.  "Oh, I know you like her, but I'm sure you're in danger if you keep barking." She scooped Suzie up and carried her into her room.  She set her on the bed as she went back to her vanity.  She sighed and sat down.  She unbraided her long hair and started brushing it.

        _What time was Jack coming again?  __Noon__?__  I have to get ready soon, I suppose._  Soon her hair was up, her clothes were on, her makeup on and Jack was due in an hour.

        She knocked on Brenda's door ever so slightly and walked in.  She assumed that under the mass of sheets, she was alive and breathing.  When Gwyneth heard a slight snore, she knew _someone_ was under there.  She walked over and sat on the side of the bed.  "Brenda, I know you sleep like a rock but-" another snore escaped her lips.  Gwyneth rolled her eyes and leaned over and jiggled the young woman.  No effect.  She paused and then leaned in next to Brenda's ear and yelled loudly, "Man overboard!"

        Brenda immediately sat up and said, "Batten the hatches!"  and then looked around, her eyes finally landing on Gwyneth.  She grimaced and laid back down.

        "Brenda, you need to get up!  You've been doing absolutely nothing except for sleeping."

        "You make it sound like that's a bad thing."

        "Brenda, please, your father is going to be here soon and I…wanted you to at least make an appearance."

        "You're going to lunch.  Why do I need to escort you?"

        "Brenda, you're going to get out of this bed if I have to pull you by your ankles."  

        She slowly sat up and looked Gwyneth in the eyes, "I had a hard night…please."

        "Yes…but I wouldn't necessarily call it a 'hard' night.  Though I do understand the walk here was hard."

        Brenda's eyes narrowed, she was desperately trying to search her brain to try to remember what exactly had happened after she left the bar, but nothing was coming to mind.  _Curse dad's drinkin' habits bein' passed to me!_  "Gwen, I honestly don't remember anything about last night…"

        "Not surprising."

        She sighed, "Was there a reason you came in here?"

        Gwyneth looked at her, "Just to wake you up and tell you that your dads' coming."  Brenda nodded and Gwyneth paused before leaving. She walked down the stairs and met Faith in the kitchen, sitting at the table reading a book and eating some pineapple.

        Gwyneth plopped down next to her and sighed.  Faith paused and then looked at her, "Something wrong dear?"

        "Are all children such…stubborn…children?"

        "You don't have children Gwyneth."

        "I know.  But…still, can you answer my question?"

        Faith sighed, closing the book and setting it down, giving her full attention to her sister in law.  "Yes.  Especially in their teens.  I think Jonathan and Trevor are the hardest to get along with."

        _Trevor._  "Where is Trevor?" Gwyneth asked suddenly changing the subject.  

        "He left early this morning, went off to the winery, why?"

        She sighed, "I just wanted to talk to him about how last night went."

        "Oh, well I can tell you that he considered a complete disappointment.  He said the evening was totally uneventful and he never wanted to go out to the same place again.  I guess he ended up carrying one of his friends up to their door.  I'm so glad he's not like that…but yes, why did you want to know, dear?"

        She shrugged, "Inquiring minds…" she stopped.  A door creaked open upstairs and someone called for her.  She grimaced and got out of her chair, excusing herself from Faith's presence.  She walked up the stairs and into Brenda's room again.

        "Yes?"

        "Can you brush my hair?"

        Gwyneth's heart almost melted.  She didn't care why she wanted her hair brushed, she was just happy to get the opportunity to.  She had always wanted a little girl of her own just so she could brush her hair.  She nodded and Brenda went to her bed and sat down on it.

        "You have beautiful, black hair, Brenda."

        She nodded, "I assume I got it from dad."  She paused, "Gwen…dad's told me little 'bout you and it was a long time ago…did you know my mom?"

        Gwyneth paused.  _Jack needs to tell her the truth…not me._  "I wasn't there when you were born."

        "Oh."

        "But I do understand that…she was a sweet woman.  Caring and such."

        "A pirate sweet and caring?  I don't believe it." Brenda said, lightheartedly.

        Gwyneth shrugged, "What has your father told you about your mom?"

        She took in a deep breath and let it out before saying, "He met her here, in Port Royal a long time ago…she was picking his pocket.  They both got thrown in jail…she agreed to go on the _Pearl_ with dad and then she got pregnant…died in childbirth.  Sound correct?"

        Gwyneth swallowed, "Somewhat."

        Brenda brushed the doubt aside and said, "I hope you and dad have fun today."

        "Thanks hon."

        Brenda paused, the mention of 'hon' suddenly jolted her and made her feel a little comfortable.  She sighed and got up from her spot, "That's good enough…thanks Gwen."

***   

        "So you're goin' out with Gwen today…" Rick said, coming upside Jack while he packed things for his picnic meeting today with Gwyneth.  He sighed at the presence of his friend and said, "That's Gwyneth."

        Rick's eyes narrowed, "Wake up on the wrong side of the couch this mornin', Sparrow?"

        He looked at him, "Honestly?  I'm a little irritated that you're making me go through with this."

        "Go through with what?  You asked her to have lunch with you without any prodding from me."

        "That's my point.  Prodding.  I shouldn't even be doing this.  Gwyneth deserves better than to be the object of you bets and amusement."

        "Remember, it's our bet."

        "That's another thing!  You pushed this bet on me when I was drunk I-"

        "Jack," Rick stopped him, "I think you knew _exactly_ what you were doing, and that's what's killin' you.  I know your drinkin' tolerance level.  Three an half mugs doesn't come close.  You were tipsy, but in complete control."  Jack just met his steely gaze with his own.  There were a lot of good qualities in Rick that Jack appreciated and liked, this wasn't one of them.  

        "Now they way I can see it is, you can give me the fifteen pounds now if you're so hasty on giving up this bet, or you can go through with it to test our theory."

        "What theory?"

        "The theory of thinkin' that you're more appealing now than you were fourteen years ago," Jack just glared at him, "Hey, I don't think such things, but you never know with these folk- now you _look_ like one of them.  And you somewhat act like one.  You're more acceptable to society."

        "What if our theory is true?" Jack said with a sneer.

        "Then you can find out how shallow Gwyneth really is.  And then leave her for the despicable _female_ she is."

        Jack narrowed his eyes, _I have a feeling he doesn't like women._

_        **I have a feeling he doesn't like anyone except for pirates.**_

****Rick shrugged, the angst mood leaving him, "But, if I'm wrong, then she's alright and we can leave…if you want."  Jack nodded, not necessarily agreeing to anything he said, but wanting to leave and quickly.

        "Jack, come in, please." Faith said as her man servant opened the door wider.  Jack tipped his head and stepped into the house.  "Gwyneth should be right down."

        He nodded and looked around, finding Brenda leaning against the stair banister.  "Brenda dear!  My, your hair looks nice, it's grown rather long, hasn't it?"

        She rolled her eyes, "Good to see you too dad."

        "They treating you well?"

        She shrugged, "The children are gone- it's been much more…pleasurable when they're gone."

        "I'm sure you think so."

        Brenda looked at Faith who had a look on her face, and she tried to explain, "They insist on _crawling_ on me.  At least the littlest does.  I _hate_ being touched."

        Jack nodded knowingly.  "It happened when she matured," Jack said to Faith, "I'm sure you went through the same thing with your eldest?"

        She shrugged and nodded, not sure that she had, then Gwyneth came out of her room- smoothing her dress and touching her hair to see if it still looked the same.

        Jack stopped and stared as she came towards him, "Jack…" she said, a weak smiling spreading across her face, "You're here."

        "You think I'd stand you up?"

        **How shallow Gwyneth really is…**

        She smiled, breaking through his thoughts, "No."

        "Then let's go…"

***   

        Gwyneth felt foolish as she and Jack walked the back roads of Port Royal.  She wasn't sure why either.  He looked like a normal person, so Jack wasn't the problem.  Was it the fact that they both weren't talking, were alone and it was going to be the first time they've really talked in fourteen years?

        _Yea, that's it._

Her spirits lifted when she heard the sound of horses' hooves and wheels against the rough ground.  Both her and Jack turned and stared at it came to a slow stop in front of them.  The door opened to reveal a woman with auburn hair in her early forties.  Jack felt Gwyneth's muscles tense in her hand alone when the door opened, and then she squeezed his arm when the woman spoke.

        "Gwyneth dear!  How are you?  I haven't seen you in ages…" she giggled dryly before moving her emerald green eyes to Jack and said, "And who is this lovely man?"

        Jack's jaw dropped and Gwyneth quickly said, "Mr. Smith…he's visiting the Turners."

        She looked him over, "Interesting…and where are the two of you going?"

        _Not like it's any of your business…_ Gwyneth thought.  Jack answered her however, "To lunch…in the country side…"

        "Hmmm, well I'll be sure to see you again, Mr. Smith.  Good day to you both…" she said, shutting the carriage door and leaving.  

        _Great, another complication to this stupid bet, _he thought, watching the carriage leave.  He drew in a deep breath and drew his attention to Gwyneth and asked, "Who was that?"  Both of them started walking again.

        She sighed, "Hannah Powell."

        "And?"

        "And…She goes through men like they were pets.  She has marriages and then become a widow."

        "They die?"  Gwyneth nodded.  Jack paused, "Of what?"

        "Old age.  She marries them…supposedly for their riches.  She tried going after the Governor once."

        Jack's eyes widened, "Elizabeth's dad?"

        She nodded.  He shuddered, that was just wrong.  "Yes, but now she seems to have found a new target…" Gwyneth said, a smile never gracing her lips like Jack would've liked.  Instead he felt her arm clench around his, as if she wasn't ever going to let him go.  He sighed, _trust me…sooner or later- you'll want to…_

***

Gwyneth sighed contently.  Plenty of laughs had been shared between her and Jack in the past hour and a half.  Stories of Brenda's childhood and of the past they had shared together.  In the back of her mind she wanted to bring up Beverly and Jack wanted to bring up Hannah.

        "So Jack…" She said leaning against the wide tree both of them were sitting against.  "Brenda tells me her mother is dead…she made that perfectly clear to us the day we saw her in the jail."

        Jack sighed and sat forward, clasping his hands around his knees, "That's what I told her."

        **…****You would lie to your daughter?******

        Gwyneth shook her head, "You shouldn't have lied to her…"

        "Why not?" he said turning his head to look at her, "Why tell her the truth?"

        "Because she's going to find out.  Yesterday she _met_ her mother and didn't know it.  She has a right to know, Jack."

        He turned away and didn't say anything.  Gwyneth leaned forward as well, lightly touching Jack's forearm, "I'm not trying to tell you how to run your daughter's life…I'm just afraid for her.  It's a huge possibility that she'll find out."

        He shook his head and put a hand on hers, "You shouldn't worry for her."

        "I do though."

        He paused, wanting so badly to kiss her but the words of Rick came into his head**…you're more appealing now…** He drew away from her and turned his head.  This had to end.  He couldn't do this bet, he couldn't wager fifteen pounds on Gwen's heart when he cared for her.  

        **_I thought you didn't and that's why it would be okay…_**__

_        I'm not sure anymore.****_

**_          Because if you didn't care about her, it would be an easy fifteen pounds._**

        Jack sighed and closed his eyes, wanting to leave soon, but couldn't pull himself away from the spot.  He could feel Gwyneth next to him, hear her breathing and feel her eyes on him.  Suddenly she leaned his head against his should and said, "Fourteen years is really too long Jack…"

        "You think so?"

        He felt her nod, "I missed being with _Captain_ Jack Sparrow."

        He winced, _that's not the only reason she was with me, was it?  That's not the only reason she's here **now**…is it?_

"You liked it when I was the Pirate Captain?"  

        Gwyneth paused, this sounded like a trick question, if she said the wrong thing then he would be offended, but she wasn't sure how he would take her answer._  Maybe if I say yes he'll change…oh I hope so._  "Of course I did.  Who wouldn't like Captain Jack Sparrow?"

        He paused, thinking she only was here because of his title, his fame…he turned his head and looked at her.  In an instant his feelings went from confused to anger.  **How shallow Gwyneth really is…**  _Bring on the fifteen pounds._

***

        "Brenda there's something you might want to see…" Jonathan said, poking his head into her room.  She had taken up counting how many stitches there were on her comforter.  They had already had dinner and she really wanted her trunk about now.  It had her coal and paper, her wood that she carved and more of her weapons that she could practice throwing with.  Gwyneth was still out with Jack; Brenda figured he got her drunk.  _Not likely, he's not 'that way' anymore.  _She scoffed.  

        She sighed and got off her bed and walked downstairs to the large foyer.  All the children, Faith and Edward were gathered around something that she couldn't really see.  "What's this somethin' I should see?"

        Faith turned and immediately covered Rebecca and Caitlin's ears.  The rest of them moved aside to reveal a large trunk.  Brenda paused for a minute and then cussed rather loudly and stomped her foot twice.  "Bloody backstabbers!" she yelled.  She kicked the chest and then grabbed her foot and swore again.  Faith quickly ushered the two girls out of the room while Edward addressed Brenda who was still twirling around, grabbing her foot.

        "Brenda please, the language you use could make a pirate man blush."

        She let go of her foot and growled.  "Sorry Mr. Johnson." She said and then cussed under her breath as she glared at the trunk before her.  

        "Who's it from?" Mark asked once Edward had left.  She looked at the two boys and noticed Trevor was missing.  

        "Where's Devil boy?"

        "Who?" Jonathan asked.

        Mark smirked, "Trevor's in our room."

        "Was he at dinner?"  They both shook their heads and she shrugged, "Well Mark, the trunk is most likely from my ship."

        "You mean the _Black Pearl_?!"

        "Yea…bloody scoundrels.  They drop my trunk off and don't bother to come and get me."  she shook her head and almost kicked the trunk again but decided better of it.  

        "Maybe they left you a note…" Jonathan suggested, "It could be inside the trunk,"

        She grimaced and opened it.  There of course, was a note.  She cursed and picked it up and paused as she looked over the badly written, sloppy words.  She looked at the two boys in front of her, "Uhm…" she looked into their expectant eyes and then back at the note.  She bit her lip and then said, "They got some other business to get to…most likely Tortuga…bloody pirates." She said folding up the note and putting it in her pocket. 

        She closed it and sighed, "They'll come for me…it's just they want to make sure they're not caught…" she said dragging on the subject.  The boys made sideward glances at each other and then at Brenda.  She sighed, "Look, just take the bloody thing up to my room- I'm not strong enough to carry it…and it would be worse to break my back than my pride."  They paused and she yelled, "Get!"

***

        Gwyneth snuck in the house just as Jacque was blowing out all the candles and getting ready for bed himself.  He nodded at her and told her that her brother had been asking about her.  She sighed and nodded.  Suzie came bounding from the hall and straight to her ankles.  She jumped and yipped until Gwyneth finally picked her up and carried her up the stairs to her room.  

        She finally got a match lit and was quite startled as she saw Brenda laying on her bed quite lazily.  "What are you doing in here?"

        "Yer out late…" she said, not moving. Gwyneth shook her head and quickly fed her fish.  

        "You shouldn't be waiting up for me."

        Brenda shrugged, "How was lunch…and dinner for that matter."

        She sighed, "Wonderful," and then paused and saw who she was talking to, "Brenda, I don't think it's proper to be discussing this with you."

        "I agree.  But I just wanted to make sure dad didn't make a complete idiot of himself in front of someone who…" she paused, "Gwyneth, I need your help, and I'm only askin' you this because…well 'cause dad has mentions this kinda thing to me…"

        "What is it?"  Brenda sat up and dug a piece of paper out of her pocket and threw the crumbled thing to her.  Gwyneth caught it and opened it.  She looked at Brenda for an explanation.

        "Dad never taught me how to read."

        Gwyneth's reaction was a simple raise of her eyebrow, "Oh…" she said quietly.  She cleared her throat and began reading, not wanting to make a big deal out of the sad fact.

        " 'Lil Sparrow, here's ye trunk, the navy was on our tails the minute we got back on the ship'...uh…'we're going to get the Captain.  When we find him, we'll come back for ye. The crew'." Gwyneth looked at Brenda with a face, "Sorry hun."

        She sighed, "Bloody idiots…I swear they don't make bloody crews like they used to."

***

        The minute Jack felt Gwyneth's lips graze his, his anger disappeared.  All the doubts disappeared along with it as he remembered who he was with.  Gwyneth wouldn't think any less or more of him because of his outward appearance, and he felt foolish for thinking such a thing.

        The walk back to Elizabeth's he had to decide if he felt anything for Gwyneth or not.  Had he really cared for her all those years ago?

        _Of course I did.  But fourteen years is a long time.  I'm not sure I still think of her that way._

_        **Then why'd you kiss her?**_

****_Because I wanted to win the bet._

_        **And was that a pleasurable kiss?**_

****Jack grimaced.  He didn't want to think about how the kiss affected him.  He paused, _I can do this bet.  I'm not emotionally involved with Gwen and I won't be.  I'm a good actor and this will be a easy fifteen pounds.  _

_        **And if you get…emotionally involved?**_

****_I have more will-power than that._

_        **Sure you do…let's go back to the kiss.**_****

Jack shook his head, no, he could do this.  Gwyneth was just a woman of his past.  He could treat her as he treated the whores in Tortuga…right?  He could discard the emotional feelings and just work on the mental and physical reaction of this bet.  

        _Maybe I'm a true pirate after all._  He thought, pushing away the feelings of self-hatred creeping up on him.  

---------

**Author Thanks:**

**          Emma436: Yea, nice to hear from you again.  I wondered where your review was.  I missed it too.  I'm glad you wrote me a long one though.  Its fun reading them, it gives me an insight into your mind…lol…uhm dealing with your story- it sounds like she's telling the story, you know?  I can't remember her name, but the main character, you know?  So if you want to change it, go ahead, but warn everyone like in a AN…so yea…You could be one of the kids' friends…and ask a lot of questions about Jack and Gwen!!! YEA!  Let's do that.  YAY!  Lol  *smiles*  Okay, that review was beastly, but yea- Trevor and Brenda, be patient…I think next chapter there's a bit of tension between them…so yea.  And maybe you caught my hidden meaning for him not being at dinner and leaving the house early and stuff…if you didn't and you don't know why- ask me.  If you don't think it's important- then yea…forget it.  OKAY!  Gwen and Jack- Gwen will talk to him sooner or later in detail about this change of his…so yea.  And this is too long- later babe**

**          Vicki Turner: Yea, I figured after having Jack as a father and the only other woman with you is Ana Maria, you would get to be not so innocent…you know?  I'm glad you like her…I like her too.**

**          Piper8188: I liked the little conversation too!  I like to write things like that, it shows the…sweetness maybe of the character.  And Jack usually doesn't show his sweeter side to well the outside world, but he's also not the same Jack…crap.  Well yea- I liked it too.  YES!  Brenda gets his name wrong!  I love it too!  You're awesome, you like point out the best parts of my chapters that we both like!  RIGHT ON!**

**          Bitty-Buffy:  oh!  Good, you liked the long-ness.  I didn't really get another review commenting on the long-ness…so thanks!**

**          Dawnie-7: I think I need to stop dropping hints about what's going to happen with Brenda and Trevor…you all are too smart for me.  Hmmm…**


	10. No Way Out

**Author's note: Sorry this chapter is short, but I was looking forward to writing the next one and I didn't really have a lot of ideas for this particular chapter.  Enjoy though.**

**Oh!  If you haven't seen "Chocolat" then do- it's a great story and has Johnny Depp in it…it's magical…**

**          And Lucy Rootes…or Lousiefamesavvy….I e*mailed you…and if you haven't gotten it or didn't get it…I'll be your beta reader….*smiles***

**---------**

Jack and Rick had talked the night before about the bet a bit more.  Rick argued that this was not for entertainment but for all decent pirates everywhere.  Jack had told him that he wasn't emotionally involved and wouldn't get emotionally involved and that was the only reason why he was doing this.  

        Jack had woken up early and gone out to sit on the porch to listen to the waves come in.  To his surprise, little Daphne had come out and sat with him, cuddling next to him.  Jack thought back to when Brenda was little and was happy to relive the experience.

        After breakfast Jack had given up thinking about the bet he had agreed on and decided he was just going to plow through this.  He only had two and half weeks left and he was determined to get the fifteen pounds and somehow prove Rick wrong at the same time.  

        About two hours after breakfast the Turners had a surprise.  Elizabeth showed the surprise into the room Jack was sitting in telling Daphne a story.  "Jack, you have a visitor…" He looked up to see a boy around eleven, maybe a little older.  "Speak boy," he said, thinking he had something to do with Norrington.  _Looks to be a cabin boy of some sort…_

        "Mrs. Beverly Norrington has requested your presence, sir."

        Jack paused, again letting the information of Beverly's last name sink in, "Where?"

        "At her home, sir.  And she requested that you come quickly."

        Jack slowly nodded.  "Alright, then if you get to her before I do, tell her I will be there shortly."

***

        The Norrington household was on the other side of town, away from the beaches and most of the vendors, and close to the battlement.  And although Jack's appearance had changed, he was glad he had taken a carriage, knowing no Captain or Lieutenant would see him.  _I wonder if Norrington will be here…_ he said getting out of the carriage and walking to the front door.  He knocked, and the door opened and he was promptly ushered in.

        "Jack Sparrow here to see Mrs. Norrington…on request…" he said to the man servant.  He nodded and took Jack's jacket and led him to one of the many sitting rooms in the house.  He opened the door and Jack saw a woman standing in front of a fireplace looking at the framed portraits.  "Mr. Sparrow, to see you ma'am." The servant said and then quickly exited.

        She turned and paused before saying in barely a whisper, "Jack."

        "It's a bit early in the year to be runnin' a fire, don't you think?"

        "The Caribbean usually doesn't get cold enough to run fires…but this was the one thing I loved about being on land…a fireplace."

        Jack paused, _this is really strange…but you can do this.  Keep on top of your feelings._  "I knew you would like it here."

        She nodded, "That's somewhat why I asked you here, do sit down." She said motioning to a chair as she herself sat down.  "I figured you would be more comfortable with my husband out of the house, so do feel free to talk about the past, Jack."

        "Your husband…The Commodore…James Norrington.  I never really would've guessed."

        She smiled, "I bet.  I never really guessed myself."

        "What ever happened?"

        She sighed and then started, "When you left myself, Will, Gwyneth and Elizabeth, I actually lived with the Turners for awhile.  I had my son there, Samuel, and I stayed there until their twins were a couple months old.  The Commodore had gotten my into a house and Gwyneth gave up her job as a shop keeper and gave it to me once Samuel turned three.  I then gave Samuel over to Gwyneth during the day.  

        "Well during this whole time James pursued Gwyneth for a time…" she paused, watching Jack carefully but went on when she saw no change, "But soon stopped.  I saw him often because of the Turners and we became good friends and sooner or later we had mutual feelings for each other. We got married soon enough and had three children…"

        "I'm happy for you Beverly, I really am…but it's a little odd still."

        She nodded, "I can imagine that.  But I have to thank you Jack, I developed a life here.  A job, friends and a family.  And especially a husband I couldn't love more."

        Jack winced, still after all these years, he still felt the pang of when she left him.  "Your welcome."

        While Jack and Beverly were talking, Brenda had somehow gotten word that he was here.  She knocked on the door and was let in and once she told the servant she was here to see Jack Sparrow, she was led to the room.  She stopped him, however, from announcing her and said she'd surprise them.  He nodded and left.

        But just as she was about to go in, she heard, "Brenda's matured into a fine young woman, Jack.  You should be proud."

        "I am, but I must say that she's taken after you."

        "Please, she was never completely my child, not after I left all those years ago…"

        Brenda paused. Shaking her head, _no…I must've heard wrong…no…I was wrong to come here anyhow…no…_  She turned and quickly left the house.

        Jack didn't respond to Beverly's comment.  She saw the sudden silence in him and said, "And also Jack, my years on Port Royal have made me realize I…am sorry that I left you and Brenda.  It was wrong…not to mention any of the other things I did to you while I was with Antonio…I don't know what I can do to make it up, because I want to Jack, I really do."

        Jack saw the sincerity in her eyes and realized she was telling the truth, that she really had regretted what she'd done to him all those years ago.  _Make it up?  I don't think you can make it up.  _He sighed but then something came to mind, "Actually there is something you can do for me…"

        "Anything."

        "Well it's mostly for your family but for peace of mind for me Beverly," he paused, "Don't leave your family.  It's obvious they're the best thing that ever happened to you."

***

         Elizabeth stared at the person before her, _why is she here?_ She thought to herself.  This woman who Elizabeth barely knew, already knew Jack?  "Hannah…Come in…"

        "Did I not hear right?"

        Elizabeth wasn't certain the person she was talking about was Jack, but she said he was with Gwyneth so it must've been him.  "Mr. Smith is staying with us, yes."

        "Do you have other company?"

        "Uh yes," she said guiding her into a room and sitting down, "But he's not here at the moment, he usually spends the days out…and the nights…"

        "Who is it?"

        _A male, that's all you want to know, right?_ "Uhm, Rick…Rick…" Elizabeth froze, _oh no!_  "Rick Potter!" she said snapping her fingers, "Yes…sorry.  I rarely call him by his last name."

        Hannah nodded, "I see.  And where is Mr. Smith?"

        "Who?"

        "Mr. Smith…"

        "Oh! Sorry…" _this is going fabulous._  "I had a rough night last night…one of the children…had…nightmares…" she said trying to make a story up to cover her blunder.  She so badly wanted to stuff her face into a pillow.  "He is…at Beverly Norrington's house.  Talking with her about old times I imagine…"

        "Oh, so he's been here before, has he?"

        Elizabeth paused, "Yes, but Beverly knows him from other…coincidences."

        "Interesting.  Well it's been nice chatting with you Elizabeth, say hello to Will for me and tell Mr. Smith that he should expect me tomorrow."  The both stood up as she walked towards the door, "I'll let myself out."

***

        Brenda slammed the door behind her as her afternoon had been wasted on drinking.  The words she had heard in the Commodore's house kept going through her mind but she refused to listen to them, she tried to drown them out with liquor, but nothing seemed to be working.

        "Whoa there tiger…" Trevor said as he passed her on his way to the kitchen.  She growled and grabbed one of her daggers from her boot and threw it at him.  He ducked and then straightened up, seeing if he hadn't had ducked, the dagger wouldn't have missed its target.

        "Leave me alone Devil boy!" she yelled.

        He went and got the dagger from the wall and held it in his hand, "You need to learn how to control your problem's Sparrow."

        In a second she was at his throat, too bad he was stronger than she expected.  He kept her struggling hands far away from his neck as he tried to push her away.  "Anger being one of them!"

        "There's no one here to save you boy," she said still struggling, but knowing she would lose.  The rum did have some effect on her.   He pushed her away and she rubbed her wrists, giving up at the moment, but only to regain her strength.

        "Drinking being the second one."

        "You've never seen me drunk," she spouted.

        "Ha!  Would you like to recall the other night?  So much for not like to be touched."

        Trevor saw her eyes flame as she came at him again, now with seemingly new determination, but still she didn't get far.  He threw her over his shoulder kicking and screaming and biting to one of the rooms so her sounds could mostly be muffled.  He threw her down on a couch and backed away.

        "What are you, a human mosquito?" he asked, rubbing his back.  

        "You'll be lucky if I didn't draw blood."

        "What's with you?"

        Brenda sighed, "Nothing that concerns you."

        He frowned, now he really wanted to know.  But not like he cared, "Jeez, just tell me.  It must be something big."

        "It's nothing okay?  And you wouldn't care anyhow!  I'm a big girl and can deal with my own problems!  Now leave me alone!" she said and then walked out of the room.   

***

        "You're home late…" Jack spun around, Elizabeth held back a laugh, "You look like a deer caught by a hunter."  He was standing by the door and had just entered quietly as he could, but Elizabeth was descending the stairs, and had a complete view of the door.  

        He eased up a bit, "I was hoping I could come in without interrupting anyone," he paused, "Where's Rick?"

        "His daily routine to the tavern…" she said and walked to him, saying, "Can we talk?"

        Jack looked around, "Will out with the kids?"

        She nodded.  "They went shopping…"

        "Shopping?"

        "My birthday is coming up…and there are still some stores open and it's a nice trip since Will is gone most of the day."

        He nodded his understanding and looked at her from the corner of his eye, "What did you want to talk about?"

        "No need to be concerned…I want to talk with an old friend…"

        Jack looked at her slyly and then nodded knowing she either wanted a heart-to-heart talk or information.  He hoped this wasn't going to be a conversation about the change _he_ was going through, because that was the last thing he wanted to think about, let alone talk about.

        She smiled and strung her arm through his and led him into the parlor.  They both sat down and Jack nervously drummed his fingers on the arm of the couch as he awaited Elizabeth's speech.

        "How was your lunch with Gwyneth?"

        He looked up, "Good…good…we ran into one of her friends…Ms something.  I can't remember."        

        Elizabeth swallowed, "Powell?  Hannah Powell?"

        He nodded, "Yea, that was it, how'd you know?"

        "She came by here about an hour before you got home…she said to expect her tomorrow."

        Jack moaned, "Are you kidding me?" he sighed and growled, "That's perfect.  Just perfect. That makes this whole thing a great deal easier!"

        Elizabeth paused, Jack looked at her, "Uh…I mean…"

        She held up a hand, "No need to explain…but it has something to do with Rick, doesn't it?"

        "Liz, please-"

        "Jack, if he's making you do something that you don't want to…don't."

        He paused and sighed, "You don't know what I'm doing and if it's good or bad…just please stay out of it." He said in the kindest voice he could muster.  

        She took in a deep breath, "What binds you to him?  You two don't seem to have anything in common…anymore and Brenda hates him…why?"

        He sighed, _so that's what she wanted.  To know about Rick.  I guess I could tell her, Will must be dying to know too…_ "The whole story?" she nodded.  He nodded as well and leaned forward, "Well Rick and I met along time ago…" he scratched his chin and his fingers went down, expecting to find two braids but they were gone.  He frowned and kept going, "While I was roaming the Caribbean, looking for Barbossa and trying to think of a way to kill him if the curse was really true…I met Rick in Nassau, I can't remember how, I think I borrowed money from him."

        Jack shook his head, as if trying to resort his memories, "But he helped me get a boat…and get to the nearest island before it sunk." He smiled, "The Island was Port Royal.  I never have _thanked_ him for making me buy that piece of junk…that I'm sure is still on the bottom of the ocean floor.  Well…we kept in touch after the _Pearl_ came back for me…but he had a ship of his own so our meetings were few and far between.  I often brought Brenda with me to visit him.  He was kind rough with her, but nothing serious…who knows why she hates him.

        "But then I felt like leaving…I needed to get away from the _Pearl__,_ so I left and got myself to Rick's house.  We get along great and he's a good friend and roomie.  I think I'm going to retire…from whatever and live with him until I tip over."

        Elizabeth kept herself from gasping at the way he referred to death.  "Well I'm glad you've made a choice about what you're going to do with the rest of your life," _even though I would like it if you said you were going to be a pirate…_

        "Is that what you wanted to know about Rick?"

        She looked at him, "Yes…I guess.  It's just…Jack-"  But she was interrupted by the door opening and the sound of her kids and husband coming through the house and telling her not to come in because they had her presents.  The minute she heard them go up to their rooms, she left the room.

***

        **When a man sweeps you off your feet, he's in the perfect position to drop you on your rear.**

        Gwyneth suddenly sat up with a gasp.  Suzie picked her head up to look at her but then put it back down and fell back asleep.  Gwyneth grabbed her heart and started breathing hard.  _That's possibly the worst nightmare I've ever had…_ she thought to herself as she tried to calm herself down.

        The words that had been spoken in her dream were the words of Ana Maria, ever so long ago.  She had advised Gwyneth to stay away from Jack in a dream she had while on the ship and in the middle of an emotional relationship with him.  This dream seemed to be the same one.  

        She had told herself before the lunch that day that she didn't _want _to get involved with Jack again, but their parting kiss told her that she subconsciously did.  But now, she had no regrets.  She wanted to be with him and was looking forward to the next time she could be able to see him.

        _But what about the dream?_

        She sighed and got up from her bed and went to her window seat, she thought things had been so clear.  But the dream was sticking with her.  _Jack wouldn't do anything to hurt me, right?_

_        **It was a dream!**_Her self conscience argued.

        _Right…dream…dreams have no meaning, right?  _

_        **Of course you're right!**_

But no matter how much she convinced herself, she had a gut feeling that there was a certain reason why Jack had asked her to lunch, that there was a certain reason other than he liked her or wanted to be with her and talk about old times.  

**Author Thanks:**

**          So obviously FanFic had a little trouble sending out Author Alerts and Review Alerts…I was beginning to get worried that the last chapter caused you all to hate me…but I wasn't sure what did it.  I'm sorry if I haven't reviewed in a awhile,  but I'm afraid it was on account of FanFic…I forgive them tho…they have a lot of stories come in…**

**          ThePinkPanther: Have I heard from you besides this one?  I don't remember, but I'm glad you're reading my story!  Rick is a shady person…and that's how I want him to be…but I hope this chapter maybe cleared some stuff up…maybe.  Like his background.**

**          DragonFlyGirl: Wow, I love that you love my story!  You're awesome!  I've never had someone tell me bravo…lol.  Thanks**

**          Emma436: Yea…the Oscars…Well it's very unusual for a comedy to be even nominated…I wanted to shoot LOTR….lol- I love the movies to death but seriously!  I wanted to kill myself!  But anyways…yes, I've written your part in my story as Caitlin's friends…she's kinda nosy…but don't take it personally….lol….Oh!  Yes…Another Jack and Gwen thing coming soon…not the next chapter but the one after that…so yea!  I'm excited for that…and Will and Jack are gunna talk about his "transformation" so yea…thanks for reviewing!  OMG!  It would be awesome to be the long lost sister….you haven't updated yet, have you?**

**          Bitty-Buffy**

**          Vicki Turner**

**          Dawnie-7: Well yea…Rick…he's not really meant to be liked.  And Brenda wow!  She's gunna get a huge scene next chapter…yea…that temper of hers…*sigh*  But yea, Like I told Emma, Jack and Gwen are gunna talk soon about him.**

**          Piper8188:  Well I'm glad you liked that chapter and pointed out things that you liked, I like hearing that.  I'm also glad that you found it entertaining in a sense….**


	11. Parenting Isn't For Cowards

**Author's Note: I should've posted this earlier…but RICK IS NOT GAY…there.**

**This is my favorite chapter so far…Because there's something between Jack and Brenda but also there's bonding between Brenda and Gwyneth, tell me what you all think!**

------

Brenda got up earlier than she usually did and got breakfast down before any of the house got up.  The boys got up after she did and she didn't make eye contact or say anything to Trevor.  She sighed and sat on the stairs, waiting for Gwyneth to get up.  

        "Doesn't she get up soon?" she asked finally, coming into the dining room, where the boys were.

        Mark and Jonathan looked at her blankly, "Who?" Jonathan asked.

        "Gwen!  When does she get up?"

        "Usually after we leave," Jonathan said.

        "We who?"

        "Trevor and I," he answered, going back to his eggs.

        She curled her lip a little and then asked, "Well then…Mark, tell her that I'm leaving."

        "She might not be up before I leave…"

        "Of course she will!  She wakes up once the two girls are up, right?" she asked desperately.

        "Why don't you just write her a note?" Trevor asked.

        Brenda turned her head to him, "And say what?"

        "Oh I don't know, where you're going…since you're so insistent on getting the message to her through one of us…even though you haven't told us…"

        "Look- I'm not wasting a perfectly good piece of paper on a note when one of you could just tell her!"

        "Why don't you just wait?"

        "Because maybe this is important, devil boy- get off my back!"

        "Fine, but I'm just trying to help."

        Brenda snorted as he got up and quickly left the house.  Jonathan and Mark looked at each other then at Brenda, "Uh…what's the message?" Mark asked.

        She sighed and looked at him, relaxing a bit, "Tell her that I'm going to Will and Elizabeth's to talk to my dad."  They both nodded and she slowly made her way out of the house.  

***

        When Beverly rolled over and felt something that usually wasn't there, she frowned and slowly opened her eyes.  Her husband was lying next to her, sleeping peacefully.  _He's not supposed to be here…_ she thought to herself.  "James…" she said groggily, shaking him slightly, she said his name again after he didn't respond and then again louder.  He finally opened his eyes, "Hi…"

        "What are you doing here?  I thought you were working today…"

        "I took the day off…"

        She nodded and paused before thinking, _the kids._  "What about the children.  School?"

        "They took the carriage with Samuel."

        "And Samuel went to the shop?"

        He shook his head, "Will said to not come in today because he himself is taking the day off…"

        "Hmm…" she said, cuddling up to her husband, glad he was here.  She rarely got to be with him due to him leaving so early in the morning.

        "How was your talk with Jack Sparrow?"

        She paused, "It was fine…I think we got things out in the open."

        "That's nice…" She smiled to herself, he knew he was holding in his true feelings, and that was alright with her, she didn't necessarily want to hear his feelings about this.  

        "James, Sam's been having some nightmares…"

        "What kind?" he asked quickly, thinking she changed subjects awfully quickly.

        "He won't tell me…but they've had him acting strangely."

        "Did he tell you about them?"

        "No, Will did.  I had noticed Sam's behavior, but he wouldn't tell me anything.  He told Will, and Will thought I should know…"

        "Alright…"

        "Well if he talks to you then…"

        "I'll be ready."

        She smiled and sighed, "Can we just lay in bed all day?"

        "Whatever you say…" he said and kissed her forehead.

***   

        "Hannah!" Elizabeth said, smiling, hoping Jack was prepared for this woman.  She had just gotten the children of to school while Daphne was with Jack, hearing another one of his stories before she got dressed.

        "I hope I'm not interrupting anything…"

        "No, come in.  Mr…Smith is entertaining my youngest, do you wish to see him now?"

        "That would be lovely, thank you Elizabeth."

        She smiled slightly and then left the room, wishing her man servant hadn't answered the door.  She walked to another room and interrupted Jack's story, "Jack…there's someone to see you."

        "Gwen?" he said, his hopes rising.

        Elizabeth shook her head, "Hannah Powell."

        Jack grimaced and handed Daphne off to Elizabeth, walked gingerly to the room she was in and sighed before going in himself.

        "Ms. Powell!  Nice to see you…" he said, a fake smile on his face.

        She smiled widely and stuck out her hand, "The pleasure is mine Mr. Smith."

        He shook her hand and then let go quickly, "Uh…Call me Jack."

        "Oh…then you can call me Hannah."

        "Sit down, please."  She did and they sat in silence before he said, "Was there a particular reason you came?"

        "Oh, just to see you, Jack."  He kept himself from frowning when he nodded.  "Elizabeth tells me you've been here before, but I'm sure I haven't seen you before."

        He laughed nervously and nodded, "Yea, well my head's popped up once in a while."

        Elizabeth choked on the water she had gotten and kept her eyes on the floor while Hannah stared at her.  "How long will you be staying?" she asked.

        "Uh…Not sure…" he said, wishing something would happen.  Unfortunately he got his wish and Brenda came whizzing through the house.  

        "Jack Sparrow!" she yelled loudly.  Elizabeth and Jack looked at each other and heard faintly the man servant trying to kick her out, and her arguing with him.  They both rushed out of the room and into the foyer.      "Ma'am…" he started to say but Elizabeth nodded, dismissing him and thanking him.

        Brenda turned her attention to her father, "I need to talk to you."

        "What's all the hullabaloo about?" Hannah said.  Elizabeth sighed, dropping her head.  She put the wiggling Daphne down who ran off, and looked at Hannah- as did Jack and Brenda.

        "Who's the broad?" Brenda asked, pointing.

        Hannah gasped, "Excuse you!  Do _not_ address me in such a way as-"

        "Nobody cares!" Brenda yelled, getting irritated, "Dad, I need to talk to you.  Alone."

        "Mr. Smith is your father?"

        Brenda stared at Hannah, "My father is Jack Sparrow.  This man standing in front of me is Jack Sparrow."

        Hannah gasped again and said, "Well I never!" and quickly left the house.

        Jack glared at his daughter, "Brenda, that woman…she'll tell people…"

        "Not give me a break, not like you look even remotely like yourself, dad."

        "Hey…"

        "DAD!  I need to talk to you!"

        Jack swallowed and nodded, he had heard this before.  This was something big.  She was mad, furious, and only wanted to unleashed the fury on him.  Elizabeth told them to go into the study, and they obeyed.  He lazily leaned against the desk that was placed against the wall.  She sat in a chair across from him and leaned on her knees.  

        "Dad, I heard you and Mrs. Norrington talking…"

        "Really…" he said, feeling suffocated already.

        She nodded, "What was she talking about dad?" Brenda asked.

        "Eh?" Jack tried to look innocent but felt fear creeping up on his face.         

        **_Captain Jack Sparrow wouldn't be scared._**

****_Well he should be, he knows what kind of a temper Brenda gets._

"What did she mean, 'She was never completely my child, not after I left all those years ago…'?"

        He paused, wondering how he was going to get around this, "Brenda, you don't remember a lot about your mother, do you?"

        "Dad…she died when I was born, remember?  You told me that…" but the look on his face told her that what he had told her so many years ago wasn't true.  "Dad, you really got to work on your expressions…I can read you like a book!"  She tried to keep her head, be comical and not furious at her dad for lying to her all these years.  But as always, her anger always over-ruled her better judgment. 

        "Brenda, I know you're mad, but remember your temper dear…" he said, remembering a number of times she had come very close to damaging him for life.

        This time wasn't any different.  He heard a cutlass zing through the air and make contact with the wooden desk he was standing in front of.  He turned around and looked down.  _I few more inches up…_

        "You lying snake!" she yelled, walking towards him.

        "Now let me explain-" but before he could finish his sentence, her fist made contact with his jaw.

***

"Dad, can I talk to you?"

        James Norrington looked up from his spot on the couch and saw Samuel with a rather distraught look on his face.  He nodded, put the book he was reading down and put away his spectacles, giving all his attention to his son.

        "What's going on?"

        Samuel sighed and sat next to his James, "Dad, I can't…I've been…" he sighed again and looked at him, "I've been having strange dreams."

        Norrington raised an eyebrow and nodded, "Okay…do you want to tell me about them?"

        His son nodded, "But the dreams themselves aren't my problem."

        "Alright, I'm listening." He said reassuring his son.

        Samuel took in a deep breath and started, "In my dreams I'm being chased.  Always.  But I'm a lot younger than I am now and the man isn't someone I necessarily recognize.  He's not British, he's scraggily like.  Maybe a pirate…but he's tan…dark…Hispanic almost.

        "He's chasing me, calling my name.  He's not angry though, he's…desperate almost.  He always is calling my name and chasing me.  I always wake up before he can catch me.  And I almost recognize him."  He paused, "Remember when you and mom got married?"

        Norrington nodded, started to feel uncomfortable.  Samuel continued, "And I was there?  I think this man…is my birth father…"

        Norrington nodded again and said, "That's a logical explanation."

        "But the point isn't to make you feel bad…" he said seeing the look on his father's face.  "The point is, I think the dreams will stop if I tell you something."

        "And the something would be?"

        "You're the only father I have. It doesn't matter if you and mom didn't make me…it matters that you're here now.  You've been the best dad I could ever ask for…"

        James felt his eyes start to water as he looked at Samuel, who he called _his_ son.  He was practically a man, and hearing this was going to make the rest of the year for James. He smiled, "Thanks son."

***

        When Brenda slammed the door behind her, Gwyneth jumped in her seat and almost poked herself with the needle she had in her hand.  She sighed as Brenda stomped up the stairs, practically shaking the whole house.  She put down her sampler once she heard another door slam and covered her head when she heard a crash.

        Gwyneth turned to see a painting of an old dog, glass all around it, on the floor.  She pursed her lips and marched out of the room and up the stairs.  Faith was standing in front of Brenda's door staring at it, with her index finger on her closed lips.

        "I _am_ assuming the heard of elephants who came up here was Brenda…" Gwyneth asked.

        Faith nodded, "I asked if she was hungry…obviously that was a mistake."

        Gwyneth nodded, took a deep breath and opened the door, that surprisingly enough wasn't locked.  Brenda was pacing the room and cursing to herself.  The room was a disaster, the father pillows torn in half and the insides scattered around the room, looking like snow.  "Get out Gwen."

        Gwyneth raised an eyebrow and shut the door and locked it.  Brenda turned and looked at her incredulously, "Gwyneth, I'm serious.  _Get out._"

        "You slam the front door, stomp up the stairs, slam _this_ door, breaking something in the process, rip up my brothers' pillows and you expect me to leave?  We _have_ been apart for too long- you don't remember me at all."

        Brenda swallowed, anger written all over her face, and drew her sword, "Gwen, I don't want to do this, but I'm not in the mood…Leave."  Her voice was low and dangerous, but Gwyneth caught something- it was shaky.  Something was terribly wrong with her that sent fear throughout Brenda's entire body, and Gwyneth was going to find out what it was.

        "Go ahead,"

        "Excuse me?"

        "Go ahead and do whatever you need to…I'm not leaving though."

        Brenda eyed her, and sheathed her sword, "What do you want?"

        "To know what's wrong," she said, slowly walking towards Brenda.

        "Gwyneth, please…" she said backing up, "I'm not in the mood to be coddled or…anything." She said shakily.  "It's been a hard…day…that's all."

        "Mark told me you went to see Jack…" she said, still walking towards her, Brenda would run out of space soon.  Her eyes were darting everywhere, making her look uncomfortable.

        "Yea…I saw dad…no big deal."

        "How is it, every time you talk to your father, you get fired up?"

        Brenda shrugged.

        "What happened?  Why did you need to talk to him?"

        "Why do you care?  It's my own business, right?" she asked, finally looking Gwyneth in the eyes.

        Gwyneth stopped in front of her, she had Brenda cornered, "I'm just looking out for you…"

        "I don't _need_ to be looked out for!" she yelled, "I'm a woman!  I learned how to hold a sword at age nine!  I got a tattoo when I was thirteen!  I learned how to shoot a pistol when I was ten!" she yelled loudly, and started walking away.  Gwyneth grabbed her arm and she struggled and growled.

        "No!  I don't need you!  NO!" she screamed, her voice shaking greatly and her fight against this woman of the same size was dying down.  Gwyneth was determined though, she grabbed onto Brenda's waist and tried to draw her near, but Brenda resisted even more.

        She pushed Gwyneth over to the bed and they both fell onto it, her grip on Brenda temporarily loosened, but once Brenda started to get away, Gwyneth grabbed onto her with both hands.  "Brenda, please!" she shouted over her protesting.  She was determined that all Brenda needed was a hug, to know that someone loved her, "You don't need to be a woman at seventeen!"

        "Yes I do!" she shouted, finally collapsing near the corner of the bed.  Hot tears quickly coming from her eyes were wiped away with force.  "Women don't cry!  No!"

        Gwyneth's heart went out to her as she let go of her temporarily and then went down to the floor where now Brenda was crumbled on.  She lifted her slightly, and Brenda almost voluntarily went to her shoulder and cried as Gwyneth stroked her long hair and kissed her head lightly, trying to calm the girl down.  _She was forced into adulthood when she barely knew who she was in the first place._  She sighed and kept trying to calm her down.  _I just hope what I'm doing won't hurt her in any way …_

***

        For a few seconds Jack just laid on the floor, his mind blacked out briefly but then his vision came back, but the pain surged throughout his whole body.  His head told him the room was spinning but he knew better.  He feared, however, if he stood up- his stomach would agree with his head.

        He had **never** been punched by a woman, let alone his own daughter.  Slapped, many times, but very rarely punched, even by men.  Drugged?  Yes.  Hit with an oar?  Oh yea.  Hit upside the head with a glass bottle?  Too many times to count.  But this was by far, much worse.

        Jack figured it was because it was his own daughter.  She had gotten mad many times since they've been together, but mostly, all she did was jump in the ocean and swim off, and then when she got tired she'd wade out and they would throw a rope to her.  It worked out for everyone.  

        Except now she had no where to swim.

        He was thinking this living on land thing was beginning to take a toll on him, but maybe it was more than that.  _Well now she knows that she got her temper from Beverly…_  He sighed and sat up on his elbows, slowly, making sure he wouldn't throw up everything he had eaten for breakfast.   He called for Elizabeth and lay back down.  

        She popped her head in and made a face, "I was afraid the cracking sound was something belonging to you…"

        "Oh, nothing but my jaw…"

        "Why are you lying down, Uncle Jacky?" Daphne said, finally coming into the room with her mother, who was a little more cautious.

        He moaned, "My daughter hit me."

        Daphne giggled, thinking of Brenda much smaller than Jack and even her mother.  "How could she make you fall?"

        "She has a mean fist."

        Daphne giggled again while Elizabeth simply groaned, "I didn't stop her because she seemed so mad…I'm so sorry Jack…"

        He shrugged, "It's my own fault…"

        "What happened?" Elizabeth asked, sitting down.  Daphne had wondered out seeing no real point on staying and Elizabeth sat, seeing that Jack didn't necessarily want to get up anytime soon.

        "I guess she had gone to Beverly's…most likely looking for me and heard us talking…we were talking about her."

        Elizabeth gasped, "So she knows about Beverly?"

        He nodded.

        "You should've never lied to her…" she said shaking her head.

        He frowned and looked at her, "That's what Gwyneth said…but I'm the father here!"

        "Yes, but you obviously made a huge mistake!  She stormed out of here, and I'm sure she was hurt.  You can't lie to her like that over something so large."

        "How was I supposed to know she was going to act so…immaturely?

        "Immaturely?!  You've mentioned her temper to us once before, and she's seventeen year old!  She's still a child practically!  How is she supposed to act maturely when you lie to her?"

        He frowned and didn't respond.  "Just get me something cold, Liz, would you?"

***

        About two hours later, Gwyneth and Brenda were still sitting on the floor, in different positions, but in pretty much the same: Brenda leaning against Gwyneth and Gwyneth stroking her hair.  She had stopped crying about an hour before, and was silent since then.  Gwyneth wasn't really sure what to say, she'd never been in such a position.

        Brenda didn't want to move.  Simple as that.  She didn't necessarily want to talk either.  She wasn't raised to talk about how she was feeling.  And if something was bothering her greatly she would talk to her dad and her dad alone.  But never had she talked to anyone else about things "deep".

        But she didn't want to move because this was totally new to her.  No one had ever chased after her just to hold her.  Her father had just let her go, thinking that was best.  And who could blame him?  Different people use different techniques with their children.  _But Gwyneth isn't my mom._  Her arms tightened around the woman she was now leaning against when she thought about that.  She hadn't ever had a mom…

        _Ana Maria was the only female on board and she just left…but I would never consider her a mother figure._  She sighed and thought of Gwyneth being her mom.  She could visualize that.  She would like that.  _She stayed with me when I held a sword at her.  She stayed when I pushed and yelled and screamed.  Who else would do that?_

_        **Your Father.**_

_        Piece of dirt._

_        **That was harsh.**_

****She sighed again and tried to run Jack out of her mind, she didn't want to think about what he had admitted to her.  What all this meant.  _Oh yea, I do have a mother…bloody adults, think they know everything._  She cursed them both for being so careless.  _I wonder how I even ended of with Jack…what kind of pirate has a toddler on board one of the most feared pirate ships?  _She rolled her eyes slightly, just wanting to forget about the whole experience.  This is what she wanted.  To say in a person's arms who actually cared about her.  She smiled slightly and nestled her head in Gwyneth's shoulder further and felt as she once again, kissed the top of her head.

-------

**Author Thanks:**

**          ThePinkPanther:  Yea, the whole finding out the truth through eavesdropping is kinda…well rough.  But that's what makes this chapter good…the after math.  **

**          Emma436: Well I'm glad I don't have to e*mail you because I would feel bad if I forgot.  But yea, your debut is coming soon!  Next chapter I'm pretty sure…it's not that long, but you're totally in there.  Yea, Trevor does care and in the next chapter my readers will totally get to see how much he truly cares…so yea.  I'm glad you're updating!  Tell me when you do b/c I'm not sure if I have you on my author alert…so yea.**

**          Vicki Turner: Well…I'm not sure.  I'm having a really hard time _writing_ Rick…like his true personality, you know?  I know I want him to be laid back, and he's a drinker because he leaves every night…but beyond that…and he's kinda a risk taker, doing this whole bet with Jack not knowing how Jack truly feelings, you know?  But if you have any suggestions, feel free to tell me.**

**          Piper8188: So you said we need to find out more about Rick…didn't the convo between Jack and Liz help you?  Or do you need more?  Yea…Trevor's kind rude to her…but yea…hmph.  Well yea Jack really wants the best for ****Beverly****, even still.  **

**          Bitty-Buffy**


	12. Beautiful Annoyance

**Author's Note:  Uhhh I went and saw the new Johnny Depp Movie, "Secret Window"  it's based on the Stephen King novella…it's an interestin' movie.  Definitely its money's worth…$5.25.  But yea, it was a good one…as good as movies based on Stephen King novellas with Johnny Depp can get.  *smiles***

--------

Dinner was quiet that night.  Brenda was missing from the table and it had somehow circulated throughout the whole house how Brenda had acted earlier and all the noise Gwyneth and her had made but then how much noise that they didn't make.  Gwyneth had the eerie feeling that everyone didn't want her to be so nice to the pirate.

        Caitlin had a friend over.  Emma Andrews.  She was a cute girl with freckles and perfectly curled curls.  She seemed bubbly when Gwyneth was introduced to her but had quieted down once dinner had begun.  Mark was looking around, Gwyneth knew he was going to be the first to say something.

        "Uhm…" she looked up and smirked, "Where's Brenda?"

        "You should really ask your aunt that…" Edward answered.  She eyed her brother, the way he said her title, 'your aunt' sounded like something you would discard as easily as you do trash.

        Mark looked at her and Emma jumped at the chance to talk, "Oh!  You mean Jack Sparrow's daughter?"

        The room grew quiet; everyone stopped eating and tried to keep their gaze away from the little girl.  Except for Gwyneth.

        "What did you say?"

        She paused, "Jack Sparrow's daughter…Brenda Sparrow.  The pirate who was brought here a couple days ago…right?"

        Jonathan nodded slowly, "You're right…" he said looking from his parents to his aunt, "Where did you hear that?"

        Caitlin answered that one, "It's all over town…I thought you knew that…"  Emma nodded vigorously.  They were only eleven!  How could word spread so quickly?

        "Who told?" Faith asked, looking around.  But all the children were silent, and their faces clean of shame.  

        "Well…has anyone else heard anything?"

        That got a response from every child.  Trevor and Jonathan looked at each other and nodded, "They whisper about us when we were walking to work…we belong to the family who harbors a pirate." Trevor answered.

        "Well…yea…" Mark said looking down, "I've heard that one too…but we don't contribute to any of it!"

        "We just keep quiet!" Little Rebecca said.  

Gwyneth sighed and closed her mouth that had been open. "Has it gotten to the Captain?"

        "Jack?" Faith asked.

        "No, Captain Regan Briscoe…"

        They grew quiet again, everyone thinking about the consequences for Jack if this had really gone all around Port Royal.  _As long as nothing is said directly about him or about the two of us…He would surely be arrested.  Just on the grounds of him being the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow…as long is said about him…he's safe._

        "Speaking of Jack…" Emma asked, "Are you two going to go on another…date?"

***

        "Sir…" Norrington looked up at his man servant who was holding a telegram, "For you sir."  She groaned silently and took it.  Looking at the faces around the table and then ending on his wife's face.  

        "You can open it, darling, it's your choice."

        "Who would send something at this time of day?"

        She shrugged.  She growled under his breath; greatly irritated.  She opened it and quickly read over the piece of paper.  He glanced at his wife and then back at the paper.  "What does it say?"

        He sighed and got up from the table.  "It's Regan…he found something."

        "What?" She said, motioning for the children to stay seated, but getting up to meet her husband as he made his way to the door. 

        "He's found out about Jack."

***

        "Elizabeth, I don't understand what you're talking about!"

        "Will!?  Did you not just listen to everything I just said?"

        He paused, that was a trick question if ever he heard it.  "Of course I was listening…" And he really was, but he wasn't really making sense of everything she was saying.  Something about Rick and Jack.  But what was he supposed to do about it?  He had a good feeling, although he wasn't sure if he necessarily wanted to do it.

        "Will…Please…" they were both in their rooms.  Supper was over and done with and Rick had left, his usual rounds at the local taverns and Jack had taken up the porch swing again.  "Just can you go talk to him?"

        "I'm not sure what you're even talking about Elizabeth!  Why would I need to talk to him…you said you did yourself…so?"

        "You saw him at dinner!  His jaw…it's all bruised!  I can't imagine the pain he must be going through.  And I'm not just talking physically, I'm talking emotionally!  His daughter punched him, because he lied to her.  He must _need_ someone to talk to you!"

        "Then why don't you?" Will asked.  Not like he didn't enjoy being with Jack, but when he looked at him, he knew that the Jack he _knew_ and was good friends with just was hidden.  

        "Because the last time I talked to him, I got mad him for…I just want the old Jack back…" she said, pouting, looking at Will with her killer brown eyes.  He sighed, knowing that was his one weakness.  He nodded and left the room and made his way outside to the porch swing.

        He sighed again; _here we go…_ he thought to himself.  "Whatever happened to your hat?"

        Jack turned just as Will sat down, a smirk on his face.  Jack smiled and leaned back, "On the ship somewhere.  I left it in such a hurry…well truth be told- I didn't want the blasted thing."

        "You've had that for longer than I can remember…any memory of you is always with your hat…"

        Jack shrugged, "What's wrong, lad?"

        Will sighed and said, "I think you know."

        He grimaced, "I knew Lizzie didn't ice this beast long enough."

        "It is a beast Jack…"

        Jack paused, not sure what Will was saying or implying, "And?"

        "And…I'm not going to tell you how to raise your kids."

        "Thanks." He said, with no smile.

        Will took in a deep breath, "What's with the change Jack?  I really want to know, and it's been gnawing at me since you came here!"

        "Why didn't you mention this earlier?"

        "Because I wasn't sure how you would react…we all weren't sure."

        Jack eyed him, "All being you, Lizzie and Gwen?"

        Will shrugged, "Maybe."

        He sighed and looked out into the ocean for a minute and then back at Will, seeing how much he had aged.  He remembered when he met the boy when he was barely a man, he was so naïve and inexperienced in the ways of the world.  _And I corrupted him…_  He sighed again, knowing he wouldn't tell Will everything, no matter how much he wanted to.  The whole and true story might find its way out somehow but not tonight.  He tried to think of a good way to say this without giving away too much and found the perfect analogy, "I just realized that I was a not being true to myself."

"What are you talking about?"  Will asked, totally confused. 

"Will, a pessimist curses the wind, an optimist hopes it'll change, a realist adjusts the sails.  I'm a realist…who was pretending to be an optimist.  I adjusted my sails."

***

        "Emma, I don't want to talk about my relationship with Jack!  I want to talk about what you know!"  Gwyneth said.  She, Caitlin and Emma were in the drawing room and Gwyneth was _trying_ to get some more useful information out of the girl before she had to leave, but it wasn't working that well.

        "But you two look so cute together!"

        "You haven't seen us together…"

        "So?"

        She sighed, "Emma…focus.  Did you tell your parents?"

        She nodded.

        "Have your parents told anyone?"

        She nodded again.

        "Who?"

        "They said a lethal and dangerous pirate shouldn't be out on the loose and that they were going to go straight to the Commodore."

        "Did they?"

        She shook her head, "No…they went to Captain Briscoe instead."

        Gwyneth felt like crying, this was horrible.  _Lethal and Dangerous pirate?__  He wears evening jackets!  _"Who told you, darling?"

        "Hannah Powell's daughter…"

        _Good Lord, I forgot all about Hannah Powell.  I think I'm going to be sick._  After Emma left, (all the while still trying to get information about the love life of Jack and Gwyneth) Gwyneth went straight to Faith and told her everything.  "What are we going to do?"

        "Look, Captain Briscoe still is a little shaky, he's about to become Commodore and he's not sure how to make level-headed decisions…he'll most likely talk to the Commodore first…nothing to worry about!"

        Gwyneth nodded.  James was a good man…he would protect Jack even though they've been through so much…right?

***

        Not eating supper was beginning to take a toll on Brenda.  She hadn't eaten lunch either.  She tried to cover her stomach's growling with a pillow, but she was sure it echoed off the walls.  She finally sighed and got up, hoping she would be able to find something to eat in the kitchen.

        She gasped when she saw someone sitting at the table.  "Jeez!  You almost made me drop this blasted lantern!"

        "Then of course the house would burn down and you would be hung…correct?"

        She paused, she knew that voice.  "Oh, it's only you,"

        "Or do you not want to tell me?"

        She sneered and started walking into the kitchen, "Your head is too big for any information to fit into it."

        Trevor got up, following her, "So you think I'm intelligent."

        "About as intelligent as a fly.  Too bad you don't have the life span of one."  She paused and looked around, _where do they keep the bloody food?_  She eyed Trevor who was still looking at her.  "You drunk or something?"

        He snapped his head back, a distressed look on his face, "What?  Uhm, no…"

        "Why are you down here?"

        "It's my house, why are you down here?"

        "If you didn't notice, I wasn't at dinner…and I didn't really eat lunch either…"

        "Oh I noticed…"

        She looked up at him, he sounded as if that's all he was going to say.  

        "The table was a whole lot quieter."

        She rolled her eyes, "Of course.  Make a smart mouth comment."

        "Oh, like you wouldn't do the same?"

        She paused, seeing his point, but grimaced when she noticed that he was right about her.  She went on her search for food again and tried to get the strange thoughts that were creeping into her head out.

        **_You know…he's not that bad looking._**

****_Bite your tongue._

_        **Okay…**  _Brenda yelped when she actually did bite her tongue.  She frowned, _who knew your self-conscious could control your…reflexes._  

        "You alright?"

        She looked up, "I'm fine…Where's all the food?"

        He nodded and walked over to the cupboard and opened it.  **_He's nice too…_**

****_You know, I'm not really up to my full emotional state…maybe you need to stay out of my head for awhile…._

_        **But you know you li-**_

****_Nope sorry…._

        She shook her head, once again trying to rid her thoughts of the strange ideas.  She nodded at him and started to take some fruits and bread from the mounds of food in front of her.  She left quickly and sat at the table.  He followed her, which she was hoping he wouldn't, and sat down across from her.

        "So I heard you had a rough afternoon…"

        She looked up, taking a bite, "I hope talking with my mouth full doesn't bother you…"

        He merely smiled, "Not in the slightest."

        She sneered and kept eating, "Whether I did or not is none of your business."

        "I think it is."

        "Well I don't, and that's all that matters."  She paused, swallowed and looked at him, "Where do you come off saying that you think it's your business? You haven't even known me for a week and you think you have the right to know everything personal about me!"

        He shrugged smugly and leaned back, "I've seen you in one of your weakest moments…"

        "No you haven't…" she said, going back to eating.

        "I said one.  You don't like people to touch you yet you let me help you walk when you were stupidly drunk."

        "That's only because the blasted stuff makes me sleepy!  Is that such a horrible thing?"

        "You trusted me, that's something."

        She looked at him, wanting to smack him so badly, "I didn't trust _you._  I trusted your _heritage._  Men of your sort aren't brought up to take advantage of a girl, whether she's drunk or not."

        "Women in our society don't get drunk."

        "My eye!  You go down to one of those taverns and there's plenty of _females_ drunk and getting drunk!  You just mean none of the women that you would consider possible…candidates?"

        "That's horrible."

        She shrugged, "I can't do any better, I'm a pirate, remember?"

        He paused and watched her eat a little before he said, "How could I forget?  Everywhere I walk in this house there's holes from your stupid daggers.  You should control your temper."

        "Yea, so I'm told."

        He crossed his arms, "You know, I can't figure you out.  You're hot tempered, wild, sarcastic and somewhat saucy…yet…"  He couldn't finish his sentence.  She had finished her midnight snack and looked up at him; her dark eyes seemed to penetrate his entire being.  

        "You know, that's the least biased thing I've heard from you since I've met you."

        "Excuse me?"

        "That's right, you are biased.  You judge me based on what I am."

        "And you don't?"

        She paused, seeing he was right.  

        "I'm surprised you even know what biased means…"

        Her mouth dropped and she got up, leaning on the table, "I have been to more places than you will be in your life, _boy._  Don't talk to me about what I do and don't know."

        "Oh really?  Can you read?"

        She paused, "What did you just say?"

        "Can you read?  You've been so many places, and know word that most pirates wouldn't even know how to say…but can you read?"

        "What does that have to do with anything?"

        "I'm just helping you prove your point…"

        She sneered, "You pompous…you're just trying to boost your own ego.  To make me look weak and defenseless!  I should've known…you 'upper-class' are all alike."

        He paused, "I don't believe I've seen you smile…"

        That certainly caught her off guard; first he was insulting her and then analyzing her.  "What?"

        "Since you've been here…I don't think I've seen you smile…not even sarcastically…But surely you have…right?"

        She paused, not really sure she wanted to answer such a ridiculous question, "What does that have to do with anything?"

        "Nothing really…sorry.  Continue."

        She stared at him, _he's a complete idiot._  Yet, as much as she wanted to yell at him, and continue with what she was talking about, he had gotten her so off-guard that the thought simply flew out of her head.  She sat back down, her anger completely gone.  "Well now I can't remember."

        He smiled, not smugly but just a pure, happy smile.  _That's an improvement, Sparrow._  "Well then you should probably get to bed…"

        "Nobody tells me what to do…" she scoffed.  A few minutes later she said, "Well, I think I'm going to head to bed…I'll see you in the morning Devil Boy."

        He watched her leave, her lantern swaying to and fro.  He sighed contently and whispered, "See you then…my Beautiful Annoyance…" 

***

        Gwyneth struggled between waking Brenda up and letting her sleep.  She decided on the latter, deciding that she needed her sleep.  Gwyneth herself got up early, intent on talking to Jack.  True, Brenda hadn't told her what was bothering her, but Jack most likely knew.  

        She hurried out of the house quickly and hoped the Turner's wouldn't mind the intrusion.  She got there when Will and the children were leaving.

        "Gwyneth!  Good to see you!"

        "You too, Will…Is Jack…home?"

        He nodded, "He woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning…be careful."  She nodded and he was gone.  She sighed, looking through the open door.  _His sour disposition is going to be wonderful to deal with…_  She took in a deep breath and walked in.  Her heels seemed to echo through the empty house. 

        "Hello?" She called meekly.

        "'ello…"

        She turned, meeting Rick face-to-face.  She raised an eyebrow, she had never been so close to him, she noticed a lot of things that she hadn't before.  "Rick…could you tell me where Jack is?"

        "He's in there…" he said, nodding his head to another room.

        "Is he in good spirits?"

        "Sure.  Why not?"

        She paused, and then said, "Thanks."

        "No problem ma'am."  He nodded and went on his own way through the house.  She frowned and then went to the room he directed her to.  _I wonder if __Elizabeth__ cares if I'm here…_  She walked into the room and saw Jack sitting down, reading.  She smiled. "Hey stranger…"

        He looked up and smiled, "Hey yourself."  He got up quickly and went to her, kissed her lightly on the lips and then said, "What a sweet surprise…"

        She nodded, "We need to talk…"

        "About?" he said, his hands moving to her hips.

        "Let's try the huge bruise on the side of your face."

        He groaned, "I thought you were here to help me forget about that…"  He started to kiss her again, but she pushed him slightly away, grabbing onto his hands and holding them.

        "We need to talk." She said earnestly.  He sighed and nodded.  She led him over to the couch and they both sat down.  "What happened?"

        "She hit me.  Somehow she got word that I was at Beverly's a couple days ago…she heard us talking about her and confronted me about it."  He shrugged, "I couldn't lie to her face."

        Gwyneth bit her lip, not saying a word, but wanting to so badly.

        "Liz gave me the whole thing, Gwen...you don't have to."

        She turned her head to him, "I do actually.  I've grown to care for the girl and…when she came home yesterday…well let's just say you affected her greater than you may have thought."

        Jack eyed her, "What'd she say?"

        "Does it matter?  I shouldn't even be here!  You two should be talking."

        "It's obvious she doesn't want to talk to me!"

        "It's obvious that she was mad…nothing else."

        Jack shook his head, "You don't understand!  She's mad at me."        

        "I do understand, you're afraid to talk to your own daughter!"

        "With good reason!"

        She growled slightly under her breath, "Jack, please be the adult in the relationship."

        "Brenda and I are both adults in our relationship."

        "A seventeen year old is no adult."

        "How so?"

        "She can't even keep her temper!  Let alone with her own father!  We have holes all around our house from her daggers…Jack…You need to talk to her."

        He sighed, looking at her.  _She really does care about Brenda…I wonder if my daughter has realized this interesting and important fact._

        "Please?"

        "I suppose."

        "Really?" She said, her face brightening.  "Wonderful!  Then are you ready to go now?"

        "I suppose…"

        "Thank you Jack…"

        "Yea, yea…" he said holding on to her hand as she practically dragged him out of the room, "Just don't tell me that I'm going to thank you for this because for some strange reason…I don't think I will."

------

**Author Thanks:**

**          Albe-chan: Yes!  New reviewer!  Have you read the last story? I'm glad you like this story…yea, Rick hmmm he's not good.  And I hope you liked the Trevor-Brenda thing in this chapter.  **

**          Dragonflygirl: Ohhh I like the Brenda and Gwen thing too from the last chapter…*sighs*  and yea, Jack and Brenda, major issues.  Huge amounts of issues!  But you'll see that in the next chapter.**

**          Piper8188: No...Brenda can't spell, read or anything.  She's quite illiterate.  It's a little heart wrenching if you ask me.  Hannah is new, good job.  But she's not going to pop up a lot anymore.  And I wasn't really wanting anybody to like her…so good job.  I think I'm going to take you up on your suggestion…like Brenda telling Jack why she hates Rick so much…or Brenda telling _someone_ why she hates Rick.  So thanks for the idea!  You'll see that in the next chapter.**

**          JackSparrowSavvy: Hey!  Haven't heard from you in a while!  Have you read the last story?  I don't remember…I'm glad you're reading this story tho!**

**          ThePinkPanther: Thanks!  Yes, the drama and unpredictability makes it better, huh?  Thanks for the review!**

**          Emma436:  Well, well, well!  Did you like being in this chapter?  Even though you didn't get a big part, you played a BIG part, you know?  To warn Gwen and everyone about the Captain.  So good job.  YES!  That's exactly what I'm going for with the Gwen and Brenda thing!  Good job on picking that up!  Ohh did you like the Trevor/Brenda thing in this chapter?  I'm hoping everyone will since they like those two so much.  Okay, yes, Jack is going to explain why he's been acting and dressing so weird…to Gwyneth and Brenda. But I'm only going to write it once, you know?  But then I'm going to add some stuff with Brenda, because she saw it happening before her eyes but he never told her anything…so yea.  **


	13. Captain Backfire

**Author's Note: Yes, yes, you're all very brilliant.  It seems as though Trevor likes Brenda or visa versa!  But that's only because I wanted it to be that way.  I could've had them hate each other…but I'm a hopeless romantic.  **

**Hmmm the plot thickens in this chapter…but not for very long. So yea…and something you all are hoping will happen…is told that it's going to happen.  Oh!  And Rick…Brenda talks about him.  Just to give you a heads up on that.**

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        "What do you mean, he's been here?"

        "James, I told you, Captain Briscoe just left.  He asked me about Jack.  I didn't know what to say!  It was so sudden…"

        Norrington sighed.  When he got to the battlement, Captain Regan Briscoe wasn't there.  He figured he would've gone to the Turners.  Norrington wasn't sure where he got his source, but whoever it was, knew who Jack was and knew the Turners.  

        "What _did_ you say?"

        "Well, he asked if I knew who Jack Sparrow was and I told him that Will and I had a run in with him a long time ago.  Then he asked me if I knew he was here.  I didn't answer."

        James sighed, "That's fine Elizabeth, Is Will at work?"

        Elizabeth nodded, "Where do you think the Captain will go next?"

        James paused, looking around, "Where's Jack?"

        "He left with Gwyneth about an hour ago.  To go talk to Brenda, I'm pretty sure."

        _This is wonderful._  "Thank you Elizabeth, I think he knows where Jack is and I'm sure he's there now.  Round up your youngest and meet us at the battlement if you could…Will would be a great help also."  He started walking to the door, the man servant giving him his coat and hat.

        "What if you don't get there in time?"

        "That is why I want you at the battlement."

****

       _Where exactly do you find fish food?_ Brenda thought to herself as she wavered in front of Gwyneth's room.  The door was open, she could see the curtains flowing freely due to the fresh, Caribbean wind coming through the open windows.  It seemed most inviting.

        She had been instructed to feed Gwyneth's two fish.  Steve and Jill.  _What kind of person names a fish Steve?  I've never even heard of that name.  It's most likely from the __Americas__ or from some crazy book she's read.  It should be Jack and Jill…wait…Steve and Jill…**Jack **and Jill…good grief._

She finally decided to go in, her curiosity taking over completely.  When she stepped into the room she heard a high, whiny noise.  She looked around and saw Suzie lying lazily on the bed.  "Evil dog."

        The dogs' ears went up and so did her head.  Brenda rolled her eyes and continued on her search.  The dog quickly jumped down and started dancing at her feet.  "What do you want?!"  The dog whined and she finally picked Suzie up.  The little beagle seemed to smile as she licked Brenda's face.  "Yea, yea…"  Brenda made her stop and went on with her search as she barely pet the dog in her arms.  

        The rooms' walls weren't all that covered, but had things here and there.  A large mirror, another full-length mirror on the other side of the room, a few portraits of her brother's family, Gwyneth with her family and one of her parents, and then something caught Brenda's eye.  Something out of the ordinary, something you usually wouldn't find in a woman's room.  

        She walked up to the wall to get a closer look.  "Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me…" Brenda mumbled to herself, reading the small sampler on the wall.  "That's interestin'…Why would Gwen have that thing up on her wall?"

        She sighed and stared at the sampler for a while, trying to think.  **...we _know_ him.  **Will's words came to Brenda's head.  _Dad and her seem to be…romantically involved…but were they all those years ago?_  Before she could come up with a good answer she heard the door slam.  "Brenda?" she heard Gwyneth call.

        She started to walk out into the hall, "Gwen, I couldn't find the bloody fish food…" she stopped in her tracks when she saw who Gwyneth was with.  She nearly dropped Suzette over the banister.  "What is _he _doing here?"

        "He?  I'm your bloody father!"

        "That's what you say, I'm not too sure anymore…"

        Jack mouth dropped and Gwyneth rolled her eyes, "Brenda, please come down."  She nodded and put the puppy down who ran down the stairs as Brenda made her way down slowly.  She came up to the side of Gwyneth and crossed her arms.

        "What do you want?"

        "To talk to you…"

        "Well I don't want to talk to you."

        "Brenda, please! I made an honest mistake!"

        "HONEST?" She yelled throughout the house, "You call lying to me for most of my life an 'honest mistake'?  Dad, please!"

        "Brenda, get over it, it's not like you've never lied before."

        "At least I'm honest about my dishonesty dad!"

        Jack paused, _what did she just say?_ He thought to himself.  He brushed the thought out of his mind, trying to keep his cool and trying to get his daughter to forgive him. "Bean…" he said, reaching for her arm.

        She pulled it away quickly, "Don't touch me."

        "Brenda.  Please start acting your age." He said sternly.

        "I could say the same thing to you."

        Jack paused, hoping she wouldn't bring his age up.  "What do you want me to say?"

        "I want to you leave!  I'm not ready to talk to you dad, you should know that!"

        Jack looked at Gwyneth and then at Brenda, "Fine."  But before Gwyneth could say anything there was a sharp knock on the door.  Jacque quickly opened it.  Gwyneth gasped at Captain Briscoe and two officers stood at his side.

        "Who's that clown?" Brenda asked, not recognizing the man who put her in jail in the first place.

        "Jack Sparrow I presume?  Or is it Captain Jack Sparrow?" He said, coming in.  Jack stood still, thinking over this situation.  _This would be a good time to have the captain image…and a weapon._  

        "Captain," Gwyneth said, moving forward, trying to make the Captain focus on her, instead of Jack, "What did we do to deserve this…unexpected surprise?"

        "Rumors are going around, Ms. Johnson…Captain Jack Sparrow is here, in Port Royal.  I have my orders…"

        "Are you trying to tell me that the Commodore _ordered_ you to do this?"  Briscoe didn't answer.  "Then why are you here?"

        "To take care of a dangerous pirate."

        She walked up closer to him, her arms folded in front of her, she whispered, "Take a look, does he look dangerous?"

        His eyes darted to Jack, who was at the moment, looking around, his hands behind his back and his tongue moving around in his mouth, looking as if he was trying to polish them with his tongue.  Regan looked back at Gwyneth, "Whether he _looks_ dangerous or not, isn't he issue.  He's a pirate."

        "Does he look like a pirate?!" She asked, thinking she was going to loose this.  

        "Ms. Johnson, that's not the issue.  He _is_ a pirate, is he not?"

        "You're going to arrest him, aren't you?" she asked quietly.

        He didn't respond to that but said, "You're lucky I'm dismissing the rumors I heard about _you_, ma'am."

        She bit her lip and stepped aside.  _You'll be getting yourself into a load of trouble, mister._ She thought to herself.  He walked forward, motioning for his men to stay behind.  "Jack Sparrow?"

        Jack looked at him, "Aye…What can I do for you, sir?"

        "Come with me."

        "Under what charges?!" Brenda spoke up, not really wanting her dad in jail, even though she didn't want him _there._  

        "Piracy, Miss Sparrow, and you'd be wise to not interfere."

        Gwyneth had to stop Brenda from 'interfering' as they put irons around Jack's wrist.  _Why does this always happen when I come here?_ He asked himself sarcastically.  __

_        **You need a drink**_

****_I don't drink._  

        He gave one last look over his shoulder to Gwyneth and his daughter before he disappeared through the door.  

****

        "But he hasn't done anything wrong!" Will said loudly, knowing he shouldn't raise his voice, but couldn't help but yell.  Will insisted that Elizabeth leave Daphne at her friends house, and come with him and they met Gwyneth there, who looked quite flustered that Brenda wasn't with her.  They were talking to Captain Briscoe, while the Commodore stood in the back corner, watching.

        "Mr. Turner, please contain yourself.  I realize that you have a…connection with the pirate, but that's not really that important to his case."

        "It's not whether I have a 'connection' with him or not!  He's not a pirate anymore!  Why arrest him if he hasn't done any crimes here on Port Royal?"

        "Yes, but the cessation of hostilities he has inflicted on so many other ports and towns is too much to count!  He deserves what he gets."

        "He doesn't deserve the noose, Captain." Elizabeth said.

        Everyone paused; Gwyneth's eyes darted to the Commodore, who she thought needed to say something.  Finally he did, "I must agree Captain."

        He looked at his commanding officer, "He _is_ Captain Jack Sparrow, is he not?"

        The Commodore nodded slowly, "Yes, yes he is."

        "And you yourself have tried twice to hang him, but never succeeded, am I correct?"

        "You are."

        "And now he is in our town and we have a chance to hang him and you're stopping that?"

        "Yes."

        "On what grounds?" The captain asked, totally confused.  He was neither fool nor young man.  He knew the laws of the crown and was intending on following them.

        Before the Commodore could explain his reasons Gwyneth stood up, "Captain, may I please see the prisoner?"

        The Captain, caught off guard, stared at her, "What?"

        "May I see Mr. Sparrow?"

        Briscoe looked at the Commodore who nodded slightly and then nodded himself to Gwyneth.  He motioned for one of his men to escort her but she put her hand up, "I can walk down the stairs be myself, thank you."

****

        When Jack heard heel against stone, he knew it could only be one person.  Gwyneth turned the corner and her face seemed to droop when she saw Jack in the cell.  He however, held back a smile.  She looked beautiful.  She had a green dress on that seemed to match the color of her eyes perfectly.  She looked at the guard meekly and said, "Give us a moment?"

        "We have our orders, Miss."

        "Please?"

        They paused, looked at each other and then nodded and left.  She sighed and watched them leave before looking at Jack again.  "You sure you want to be down here with a 'dangerous' pirate?"

        She smirked, "More than anything."

        He smiled and stood up, putting his hands on the bars and Gwyneth put hers on top of his, "I'm sorry…"

        "For what?  You haven't done anything."

        He nodded, "I know, but there's rumors going around about you…about you and I."

        She shrugged, "Only due to Hannah Powell's rather large mouth and most likely jealous heart.  Things could've been worse.  At least Rick got out free…"

        Jack swallowed, _he's the one who should be in here with me.  He made me come here anyhow._  "I suppose so…"

        "But it's not like you're not going to get out free…Will, Elizabeth and James are up there arguing for you."

        "Ol' Commie?  Who would've thought…"

        She paused, "I'm sorry I dragged you over to my house…"

        "Why?  I got to see how mad she really is…"

        "Do you still think you did the right thing?"

        Jack sighed, wishing she wouldn't have asked that.  _Right thing…the **right **thing…have I ever done anything particularly **right**?_  "I guess not.  I should've told her when she was old enough to understand.  But I just didn't want her getting mad at Beverly."

        "Do getting mad at you is better?"

        "No.  I live with the girl…Beverly doesn't.  She has a family of her own, which I knew she would have…"  he sighed, "I just didn't know it was going to turn out like this.  It kinda backfired on me."

        "I suppose it did.  But she loves you Jack…you do know that, right?"

        He nodded, "Yea…we've been through too much for her _not_ to love me…"

        "But she tells me you're thinking of living with Rick…leaving the _Pearl_ for land…"

        "Gwen, if you haven't noticed, I've changed."

        "Oh, I've noticed, and I've been dying to ask you about it…but I didn't want to invade your privacy."  

        He nodded in understanding.  He thought about when he talked to Will the night before, **I adjusted my sails.**  _There's so much more than that…so much more that Gwyneth deserves to hear.  That Brenda deserves to hear…And Will and Liz.  I don't want to talk about it though.  That's why I left!  _He sighed, looking at Gwyneth who was looking at their entwined fingers.  _I'll tell her and Brenda…then Gwen can tell Will and Liz…_  He wasn't sure he even wanted to do this.  This 'change' he had gone through went much farther than skin deep.  He wasn't even sure if it was that big of a deal, but it had affected him greatly.  

        He remembered when Gwyneth told him she missed the old Captain Jack.  In a way he did too.  He missed the ocean, the _Pearl_, the feeling of the ocean under him.  He also wanted it back again.  

        "Tell you what, once I get out of here, you and I will go to the beach and…well…talk."

        She looked at him, "Whatever you want…I'll listen."

        He nodded as she leaned her head in, her forehead and lacy hat bumping into the cell bars.  He leaned down and kissed her forehead glad that she was here with him.

****

        The next day was most likely the hottest day Port Royal had seen in two months.  The temperature was usually fairly comfortable and the weather, beautiful.  But today, there wasn't cloud in the sky that provide a reasonable temperature, there also wasn't any wind, which made the whole day practically unbearable.  

        Jonathan and Trevor had gotten the day off, while Mark, Caitlin and Rebecca went to school.  Gwyneth had gone up to her room, saying that her room upstairs got some wind and in the privacy of her own room she could wear less clothing.  Edward had gone off to work, but Faith had taken up Gwyneth's idea in her own room.

        "You're glasses are foggin' up again, Johnny." Brenda said.  She, Jonathan and Trevor had taken a permanent spot on the kitchen floor, thinking the tile would be cooler than the carpet.  

        "He's out." Trevor said, wiping sweat from his brow.

        "He passed out?" Brenda said, closing her eyes again.  

        Trevor shook his head, "No, he's asleep.  The heat makes him sleepy."

        Brenda nodded, she wouldn't doubt it.  She was sure she was about to nod off as well.  "I wonder if horses sweat the same way dogs do…"

        Trevor shrugged.  Then an idea hit him, "Get up."

        "What?  Why?"

        "We're going to go ride Pearl."

        "I don't wanna."

        Trevor rolled his eyes, slowly getting up, "If we ride Pearl, and we go fast, we will make wind."

        "I'm sure that's how it goes…but I get what yer sayin'.  Now help me up."  She said holding up a hand.  Trevor pulled her up quickly and walked out the door, Brenda trailing behind. 

        The two didn't have any shoes on, had their pants rolled up and Brenda had taken off her vest, limiting her layers.  She put on one of her lightest shirts and was thankful she didn't have to wear a corset that she would just sweat underneath.  

        When they reached the stable they decided to be nice to Pearl and not put a saddle on her, hoping this ride would also cool her off.  Trevor mounted her quickly and offered his hand to Brenda.  She refused it and got up just as easily.  "I didn't think you could do that, considering your size…" Trevor commented as she tried to move herself away from Trevor's back.  

        "Do you have to be so close?"

        "Me?  I'm making room for you…It's not my fault you slide down from the back of Pearl."

        Brenda grimaced and tried to make herself comfortable against him.  _I've never been this close to a guy before…_ she thought.  

        "Ready?" he asked.

        She nodded, "Ride away."

        Pearl took off so quickly that Brenda immediately grabbed on to Trevor to stay on the large animal.  "You okay?" he yelled over his shoulder.

        "Just peachy!" she yelled back.  Pearl slowed down and finally stopped.  "What?"

        "I hate to tell you this, but you might need to hold on to me better than that…"

        She looked at her hands; they were clutching the back of his shirt.  "Why?  This works for me."

        "Yes, but you're also choking me."  

        She smiled meekly to herself and said, "Well then what do you suggest?"

        "I don't care, I just don't want to choke to death and I don't want you falling off the horse."

        She frowned, she didn't like to be touched, but if she put her arms around him, that would be technically touching him.  She gingerly wrapped her small hands around his middle, "Is this gunna kill you?"

        _No, but I'm sure it's killing you…_ "No, that's fine.  Ready?"

        "Hi-ho silver."

**** 

        _I am so hot!_ Gwyneth thought to herself as she lay sprawled out on her bed.  She had a corset and a light slip on and was still sweating.  _I can't wait 'til it gets dark and I can go outside._  She looked around for her puppy and saw Suzette on the window seat, also stretched out, asleep.

        She sighed deeply and hoped it would cool down soon.  _I don't really like wearing this stupid corset…_ she said mindlessly rubbing her abdomen with her index finger.  She paused.  Her finger was going over a line on her abdomen that she had completely forgotten about.  She looked down at the scar and a whirlwind of memories zoomed through her mind.

        **Just stay with me luv…just stay with me…**

        She painfully remembered how Antonio stabbed her with his dagger out of pure hatred.  She remembered collapsing onto the deck of the _Black Pearl_ and remembered Jack's voice and his arms around her.  She closed her eyes, not particularly wanting to remember any of that.  That had been so long ago when it had happened.  _So many life changing things happened on that…adventure…_  

        She sighed, remembering how she had been threatened by the man in the galley…how he abused her and how Jack came to her rescue.  She frowned suddenly, and started untying her corset, knowing once she had it off, it'd be difficult to put it back on.  _I have a shirt somewhere around here…_  She finally got it off and turned around so that her back faced her mirror that was in front of her bed.  She turned her head so she could see the mirror.  There were about four scars, faded but there, on her back.

        _From falling on those stupid stairs.__  But it was either my back or Brenda.  And I couldn't risk losing her…_

        She sighed and got up from the bed and went to her closet to get a shirt.  _Brenda…_ she recounted the other day's events, her chasing Brenda, getting her to calm down…them connecting in some odd way.  She went back to her bed and lay down again.  

        **…thanks for rescuing me…**

        She rolled over.  _How many times did I expect Jack to come to my rescue during those fourteen years we were apart?  I was never in any real danger, but how I wanted him here with me…even after he sent that letter to me…I wanted him here.  And now that he **is** here…oh I dunno._

_        **What are you saying?**_

****_Nothing.___

_        **You know, he was awfully touchy feely yesterday when you went and saw him about Brenda…**_

****_That's just Jack.  He must've been happy to see me.  We hadn't seen each other in a long time._

_        **Even when you hadn't seen each other for fourteen years, he didn't act like that.**_

****_Yes, but he was being a gentlemen…which is his chosen profession now._

_        **Didn't he say he was going to talk to you when he got out?**_

****Gwyneth sat up, _that's right!  Maybe he'll tell me what's going on with him!  Oh I do hope so…_  She sighed contently and nestled back down, intending on getting some sleep to dream of Jack.        

****

        Night had fallen and the temperature decreased greatly.  Trevor and Brenda had been riding for so long and had been cooled off greatly.  "I'm sore devil boy…" Brenda complained when the sky was starting to color with light pinks and yellows of dusk.  He nodded and they both got off Pearl, starting to walk back to the house.  

        "Pretty sunset…" Trevor commented.

        Brenda nodded, "The prettiest are over the virgin islands.  The sky gets the perfect shades of purple, pink and yellow.  They all seem to mix together perfectly, all the while, mixing in with the blue of the water…it takes your breath away…"

        "I've never hear you talk like that…" he said, looking down at her.

        "You haven't heard or seen a lot of stuff, devil boy."

        He smirked, "So you think your dad will get out?"

        She sighed, not really wanting to talk about Jack, but knew that subject would come up sooner or later.  "I guess.  I kinda want to talk to him now.  Find out all about my mother."

        He nodded, wanting so badly to know who the mother was, but knowing that Brenda needed her privacy.  "I wonder why Rick wasn't mentioned.

        "He should've been." Brenda said, not missing a beat.

        Trevor paused, "I've noticed you don't like him very much."

        She snorted, "You could say that…"

        "Why not?"

        She sighed and looked up at him, "Do you really want to hear the story?"

        "Of course."

        "It's not that long…" she sighed and took in a deep breath, "Well Dad was good friends with Rick before I was even born.  We visited him often, and I always went with him…when I was about six…Rick had some sort of…woman.  Well she was a woman, but they were…together, I suppose.  She was living with him.  She had said something in the conversation; I can't remember what, but something Rick didn't like.  He took her outside while dad went to find some rum and I went to the window to see what was going to happen…"  

        She sighed, "My curiosity always takes over…anyway- out the window I saw him hit her, over and over.  He left her out there for the rest of the night, and I could only imagine what he did after we left.  The image stuck in my mind.  I had nightmares about it, and dad couldn't understand where I got it from 'cause I never told him.  He just figured it was some town we had stopped in… so he never allowed me on Tortuga, sayin' it would most likely scar me for life."  She paused, "That's it.  I've never seen a man beat a woman…mistreat her verbally, sure…but beat?  No.  Dad kept the bars I went to limited.  And I didn't even start drinking until I was sixteen." 

        Trevor was quiet for a minute, trying to get that all through his head, "That wouldn't have to do with you don't like to be touched…would it?"       

        She shrugged, "May be part of it."

        _So you build up walls around yourself so you'll be safe.  Being touched is only one of the walls…is it going down?_  "Have you ever told anyone else about this?"

        She looked up, the answer already written all over her face, "No…no I haven't."

---------

**Author Thanks**

**          Dawnie-7: I think I want to shoot you.  You went to ****Hawaii**** and didn't get me anything?!  I think I'm insulted!  Jk…did you get a tan? Or Burned?  I'm glad you came back and read those chapters…*smiles* thanks mate. Yes, they flirt weird, but it's a pirate chick and a noble seventeen year old guy, what can I say?**

**          Vicki Turner:  Well if you loved the Trevor/Brenda thing, I'm sure you liked it in this chapter.**

**          Emma436: People liked your character!  And I'm hoping you did too…Love fest?  Keg?  No.  Jack doesn't drink…remember?  And I don't think Faith and Edward would take a liking to their son getting drunk with Jack…And Brenda and Trevor are DEFINITELY not getting drunk together.  Little red warning signs come up in my head when I think about that…hmm Rick…Yea, did the explanation I gave to why Brenda hates him…fit?  I think that would haunt me and stick with me for my whole life, but a pirate?  I'm not sure.  **

**          Piper8188: Yes, I do realize that the convo between Will and Jack wasn't that informational…but the next chapter everyone will know EVERYTHING.  So I'm in the process of writing that…it's a little difficult though.  Rick…past this chapter, I think that's all the info I'm going to give out…because there's nothing really to him.  He's a pirate with a rotten heart to get money…I wasn't really planning on him being a complex character, you know?**

**          Albe-Chan: Yes, the truth is on its way.  I'm glad you like the Trevor/Brenda thing.  I do too.**

**          ThePinkPanter: Yes, I liked Mort Rainy too…except for the fact he's a homicidal maniac…But he's cute with the roughed up hair!  Yesh!  **

**           Bitty-Buffy**

**          JackSparrowSavvy**


	14. The Man Inside

**Author's note: Hmm…longest chapter yet…Four Thousand words…not counting author's note/thanks…I'm good.  **

**          Okay, and of course the long, anticipated explanation to Jack's behavior is in this chapter…but tell me what you think about it in general…**

-------------

        Jack woke up to the sound of boot-against-stone.  He didn't open his eyes, thinking it was the Captain who he didn't really want to talk to.  "Get up Sparrow."

        His eyes fluttered open, "What?"

        "You've been pardoned."

        "Oh, for something I haven't done?"

        "Don't get smart with me.  I'll have my men around the Turners, watching your every move." Regan said unlocking the cell door and opening it.  "One thing Sparrow, and I'll tie the noose myself."

        "Why do you hate me?"                  

        "I don't.  I just hate pirates."

        "I'm not a pirate."

        The Captain looked him up and down, "Sure, not on the outside, but I don't think you could just so easily give up piracy after more than four decades of being a pirate."

****

        Jack peaked his head in the door, and looked around, hoping no one was home.  Even though he knew Will had him pardoned, he didn't really want to see any of the Turners, a little embarrassed that he had been arrested the night before.  

        He didn't get far into the house when he heard the shrill voice, yelling through the entire house, "Uncle Jack!" and then it seemed like a herd of elephants come towards him.  In a minute it seemed as though he had a herd of elephants _on_ him.  "I need to breathe!" he said faintly.  

        All five of the kids had tackled him (quite by accident) and now were on top of him, giggling to death.  

        "Daphne, you're foot is in my face!"

        "Calm down Suzanna, I have a sock on."

        "It stinks!"

        "That's not very nice…"

        "Sheldon!  You're fat finger is in my ear!"

        "Don't make fun of my fat finger…and Jeffery…your hand…it needs to move."

        "Whoops, sorry Sheldon."

        "You're all fat and crushing me!" Cassandra yelled, giggling.  

        "And killing your 'uncle'." Jack said, gasping for air.  They quickly got off and Sheldon helped him up.

        "Sorry Jack."

        "We were just excited to see you…" Cassandra said honestly.  Jack nodded.  He looked down, feeling his leg gain weight almost instantly.  Daphne had attached herself to his right leg.  He sighed.

        "Where were you?" Jeffery asked.

        "Uh…you don't want to know."  They all paused, all of them looking at him innocently.  "You animals want to hear another story?"

        They all agreed eagerly and Jack took them away into a room, on the way he met Will and Elizabeth, their arms wrapped around each other.  "Jack!  You're home…"

        He stared at the couple, "Of course I am, did you think I would stay there after you pardoned me?"

        The couple stared a Jack, "What are you talking about?" Will asked.  "We're surprised you're alright…"

        "But the Captain said I've been pardoned…"

        "It wasn't us…" Elizabeth said.  "It may have been James."

        "Who?"

        "The Commodore!" Daphne said, from below.  

        Jack paused, _the Commodore wouldn't spring me from jail…would he?  _Jack had no time to finish his thoughts before the children dragged him into the next room.

****

        "Trevor, come here for a minute…" Faith called.  Trevor turned around, meeting his two parents.  

        "I was just about to go meet Brenda, Jonathan and Mark out in the stables…"

        "Yes dear, but this won't take long…please?" she asked sweetly, but sounding concerned.  He sighed and nodded.  He walked over to them and waited.  "Your father has expressed some…concerns about…well…"

        "Brenda." Edward said.  Faith frowned at her husband.  She knew the attraction the two seventeen year olds had towards each other, even if it wasn't apparent to them; so she wanted to take this easy and not hurt her eldest feelings.

        "What about her?" Trevor asked.

        "She's a pirate Trevor." Faith stated plainly.

        He nodded, "That is obvious…"

        "We're concerned that you're…" Edward didn't know how to put it, "Whatever happened to Belinda?"

        Trevor shook his head slightly, trying to organize his thoughts, _how did we get from Brenda to Belinda?_  "Who are we talking about, Brenda or Belinda?"

        They paused, "Brenda." Faith answered.

        "Okay.  Now what's wrong with her?"

        "Nothing!" Faith said quickly, knowing she had come to like the young woman, "It's just…we thought you and Belinda…we thought you were courting her."

        Trevor shook his head, "She refused me."

        "Well there's no need to replace the pirate for her son, there's plenty of wonderful girls out there!" Edward said.

        He paused, staring at the two adults in front of him, "You think I'm courting Brenda?"

        They didn't answer.

        He smirked, "That's out of the question…believe me."

        **_Don't believe him…he likes her._**

****_Shut up, would you?_****

"You have no intentions on getting involved with her?" Faith asked, hoping he would say no.

        "She's attractive…but like dad said, she's a pirate…and our society wouldn't allow it."

        "Are you trying to tell us if we were in a different society, you would consider it?"

        Trevor shrugged, thinking non-committal answers would get him out of trouble and out to the stables quicker. 

        "So do you like her?" his mother asked.

        He shrugged.

        She sighed, "Trevor, go ahead and go…" she said, dismissing him.  He left quickly, glad that his mother caught the signs.

        "Faith!"

        "Edward, it's obvious he doesn't want to talk to us about it.  And the boys have always been more open with Gwyneth before they are to us…so we either tell her to tell us or we wait patiently."

        Edward sighed, "I guess we should wait…Gwyneth would get touchy if she knew what we thought about Brenda."

        "What you think.  I think she would be good for Trevor."

        Edward rolled his eyes and nodded, "What I think…" he said, trying desperately not to voice his opinion about what his wife had just mentioned.

****

        "You're back!"

        Jack turned around from the apple he was looking for in the fruit basket, "You know I've never stayed in jail long."

        Rick smiled, "I'm glad you're here…there's something we need to talk about."

        "What would that be?" he said, turning back around.

        "Our bet.  A week's up Jack."

        Jack winced.  He grabbed the first apple he saw and took a bite out of it, it was bruised.  He grimaced and went to the trash in the kitchen and through the whole thing away.

        "You're still…okay with the bet, right?"

        _Is he trying to imply that I'm a chicken?_

        "I'm still fine with it…why wouldn't I be?"

        _Gwen will never find out._

_        **She's smarter than you!  She'll find out.**_

****"Great!  A weeks up, savvy?"

        Jack nodded.  "I understand.  I might get her to say it a couple days early actually…"

        **_Of course you might say it first…_**

****_Shut up._

        "We'll see Sparrow.  Now I'm trustin' you to tell me if she tells you or not.  I can trust you right?"

        "Aye!"

        Rick nodded, "Well then good luck mate."

****

        _Now Gwyneth, stay calm.  It's just Jack…there's nothing to get excited or worked up about.  Jack Sparrow.  And remember not to blush, stammer or get carried away.  _

_        **That's not possible.**_

Gwyneth groaned as the carriage came to a stop in front of the Turner house.  _That is, if Jack is even back yet.  If he's not, I'm sure the Captain will let me talk to him in his cell…_  She got out and shut the carriage door, walked up the steps and knocked on the door.  The door opened and a familiar voice rang through the air.

        "Gwen!"

        She turned, expecting to see the man servant, but seeing Jack instead.  Her insides started twisting and her fingers grew cold.  She bit her lip.  "Don't you look extraordinary?"

        "You're back."

        "That seems to be the case.  Happy to see me?" he asked, finally inviting her in.

        "I'm always happy to see you…" she said warily.

        "And I you."

        She smiled politely.  He smiled back, "You really do look lovely."

        She felt herself blush, and rubbed her cheek, as if that would make it go away.  _It's some kind of man who can make a woman my age blush.  Of course I'm not exactly **hard** to make blush._  She sighed.

        "Come and take a walk with me…" he said holding out his hand.  She panicked.

        "W-where?" She managed to get out.

        "The beach…it's only a short walk from here.  It's in clear sight, and it's been killing me to get out there and feel sand under my feet."  

        She sighed and looked at his hand that was still outstretched to her.  **_Take his hand Gwyneth…you know you want to._ **Her conscience told her.  She wavered and then finally grabbed it.  Jack broke into a smile and entwined his fingers with hers. She sighed and forced on a smile.  His hand felt the same, the feel of rough, large hands somewhat comforted her, but still- when she looked at his face, it was like looking at a stranger.  _I hope he tells me soon so he can get over it…_

****

        "Finally!"

        Trevor grunted.  Brenda was mounted on Pearl alone, looking down on Trevor.  He had just walked out to the stables, the talk his parents gave him bothering him. 

        "Johnny and Mark finally figured you weren't coming so they put the saddle on…" she paused, "What's with you?"

        He shrugged.  "They in the stable?"

        "Yea. Why?"

        "I just want to talk to them, okay?"

        Brenda heard the bite in that comment.  _I've been around males too long to **not** know what's wrong…Even though Trevor isn't like the men I hang around…he's a male so he'll be easy to figure out._  "You still want to go riding?"

        Trevor paused, looking up at the short pirate.  "I don't think so…" he said warily.

        She stared at him, gauging her temper.  **_He's already mad…don't make him worse._**  "Fine.  I'll catch you at dinner."  She said and quickly turned around and then kicked Pearl's sides and they rode off into the distance.

        Trevor sighed and watched her go, wanting so badly to be on the horse with her.  He sighed again and walked to the stables, needing to talk to his brothers.  

        Once he told them the story, all three of them sitting out in the field, they both paused, "So does this mean you like her?" Mark asked.

        Trevor rolled his eyes and fell backwards into the soft grass.  "I'm not going to answer that."

        Jonathan and Mark gave each other a look and Jonathan pushed up his glasses, "Well then let's say…hypothetically you _do_ have feelings for the pirate…why would you care what mom and dad think?"

        "Because…_hypothetically_… if mom and dad would talk to me after such a short time…that they're concerned for me…what will the rest of the town think?  I'm the eldest of the bunch.  People _expect_ things from me.  _Society _expects things from me."

        "Who cares about society when you have the love of your life?" Mark asked.  Jonathan jerked his head around and stared at his brother and Trevor sat up on his elbows and stared at him, "…Hypothetically." He said looking at both of them.

        Trevor sighed and laid back down.  "I shouldn't be talking to you two about this…I need to talk to Aunt Gwyneth."

        "She's with the Captain…I think." Jonathan answered.

        "Figures."

        "Well she left in kind of a hurry…she said it was important…" Mark put in.

        _That's just great.  Here I am having a problem with my pirate and Aunt Gwyneth is out with her pirate.  _

****

        It had been about a half an hour of walking since Gwyneth and Jack had made their way to the beach.  Hand-in-hand they walked down the quiet beach, glad there weren't a lot of people out and about, Gwyneth wore the perfect dress for such an occasion.  It was light, of course with the traditional layers underneath, white and light blue.  It was simple.  She had to pick up the back to keep it from getting wet, and Jack seemed perfectly fine with that.  She smiled, thinking most men would faint if they saw a single woman's under layers.  

        She was getting antsy though.  She was of course, happy to be with Jack, but she _really_ wanted him to talk.  She didn't say anything though, knowing if she were to force him, she wouldn't get the full effect.  _But maybe he's waiting for me to start the conversation…_ she thought to herself, panicking.  She squeezed his hand lightly and watched his face.

        "You got time?"

        She smiled, "I have _plenty_ of time for you…"

        He sighed and stopped walking.  She stopped with him, still watching him.  He looked out onto the ocean and breathed deep, taking in the salty air.  "He's out there somewhere…"

        "Who?"

        "Gibbs."

        She nodded, remembering that Brenda had told her, Will and Elizabeth that Gibbs had passed away.  "I'm sorry Jack."

        He seemed to shake it off, starting to walk slowly again, "He wouldn't have wanted it any other way.  And it was his time to go…"

        "But I know you two were good friends…"

        He nodded, not saying anything more on the subject.  "I haven't told Brenda any of this…which is something I desperately need to do."

        "Oh?"

        "She knows the basics…what happened on the outside, but she doesn't know what I went through…inside.  But I s'pose it sounds funny…a pirate talking about feelin's."

        She shook her head, "No, not at all."  **_Liar._******

"When Gibbs died…I couldn't get over the fact of it.  He was gone.  Forever.  I wasn't ever going to hear his snoring through the thin wood walls, and I wasn't ever going to eat his 'bubblin' mass'…he was gone.  He _is _gone."

        She nodded, just listening.  But also knowing how he feels with losing someone.  She had lost her parents, but that was for another time.

        "Ana left about two weeks later.  We had stopped on some island…I can't remember where, and she had saved up enough money to buy a ship of her own and she took on a crew and left.  I think she was escaping the best way she could…"

        Gwyneth cringed, _two friends in two weeks…oh Jack…_

        "Soon enough I started to change my appearance…it's obvious.  I also started spending a lot of time in my cabin, forcing Brenda into the Captain mold.  I kept thinking if I wasn't a pirate then none of this would've happened…that I wouldn't have known Gibbs and hurt when he died, that I wouldn't have stole Ana Maria's boat causing her to leave, and I wouldn't have…had Brenda.  And if I did…it would've been on civilized land instead of a bloody pirate ship.

        "And if I wasn't a pirate that would increase my life span…in theory. So I left.  I stowed away on a cargo ship and made my way to Ricks.  Thinking I could get away from it all.  I was a coward and ran away from it all, but I knew I couldn't face it."

        Gwyneth was almost too afraid to ask, "Face what?"

        "Death.  I love being a pirate, but I love my life even more.  It may not sound horrible or be what you thought it was going to be…but it's the truth.  I changed my appearance and left the _Pearl_ to get away from death."

**** 

        Brenda sighed, since she had come to Port Royal and Gwyneth's house and ridden Pearl, she had always felt somewhat significant and important on the large beast.  Mostly just being so tall, but it always made her feel good about herself.  But now, as she sat with a straight back and a straight face, she wasn't feeling that good.

        _Bloody men,_ she thought to herself as she watched the sun set, remembering the other day with Trevor.  She had never felt this _unsettled_ about a male, save for her father.  Her and Jack have gotten in numerous arguments over the years and many of them lasted a week or longer, but she had always made up with him and had _always_ known what was wrong with him and her.  

        She didn't with Trevor.  

        And that bothered her.

        A lot.

        _I'm sure it's nothing I've done…because I haven't done anything…_

        **_Why are you so worried about him anyhow?_**

        She paused.  Good question.  When she first got here he was a complete _jerk_ to her, to say the least.  He seemed to _resent_ the fact that she was a pirate and she knew Gwyneth.  _Gwyneth…_ she thought to herself.  _Surely it has nothing to do with Gwyneth and I…that we're close…_

_        **You and Gwen are close?**_

****Brenda sighed.  That was another thing entirely that she didn't even want to get into at the moment.  Gwyneth would certainly take longer to consider and make a _real_ thought out process than Trevor.  _Right?_  Brenda wasn't sure.  She had always thought of men to be so _easy_ to figure out.  They weren't complicated and didn't really have an intelligent thought in their head.  

        _At least not the men I'm around…_

        But she guessed that was the thing, Trevor was so _different._  She had never been around such a creature.  She joked with the _Pearl's _crew and they teased her and only her father could make her mad, but Trevor did so much more to her.  He made her furious in a minute, he _challenged _her mentally- something only her father had done, and only on a small scale.  

        _He gets me mad but then distracts me so my tension and anger fade away…something that no one has ever tried.  Usually you couldn't **pay** someone to get as close to me when I'm angry…but he actually **picked** me up and **carried** me!  _She sighed.  This whole thing was incomprehensible to her.  

        _Is he even angry with me?  Whenever I was angry he practically** forced **me to talk to him, but I just ran off…_  She paused.  Should she do the same thing?  Should she push and push until he explodes like Gwen did to her?  _That's another person who dared to get close to me when I was at my angriest!  _She shook her head, what was with these people?  _They actually **care** about me?_

_        **That's not fair…your father cares…**_

_        True.  I need to talk to him too._

        Her shoulders sagged, this was too much.  She didn't really care if Trevor got mad at her, she was going to ask him what was the matter.  She was going to get it out of him and she was going to help him with it. _And I'm tired and hungry anyhow…_  She sighed again and kicked Pearl's sides, making the large animal gallop towards home.

****

        Gwyneth didn't say a word through dinner.  Of course neither did anyone else.  Trevor and Brenda wouldn't make eye contact with each other, and Trevor wouldn't make eye contact with anyone except for Gwyneth.  Edward barely ate anything and Faith kept dropping her silverware.  Rebecca and Caitlin whispered back and forth to each other and Jonathan and Mark were making strange eye contact to each other from across the table.  

        Trevor excused himself early and Faith watched him go forlornly, almost, as did Brenda.  The girls left when they had cleared their plates to go in the backyard and play with Suzie since it was still light outside.  Mark and Jonathan soon left as well, going up to their room.  Brenda sighed.  Gwyneth bit her lip and Edward and Faith looked at each other.

        "It's been a long day…" Gwyneth started, remembering almost falling into Jack's arms when he told her everything.  "I'm going to start getting ready for bed so I can sleep in…"

        They all nodded.  Gwyneth looked at Brenda, "You going out on the town tonight?"

        "I don't think so…though I may go take a walk…"

        "As long as you don't get lost dear.  We wouldn't want you out in the late hours wondering around." Faith responded, looking at her plate.  Brenda nodded and got up, quickly leaving the room and the house.

        Gwyneth looked at her brother, "Is everything alright with the kids?  Barely anyone talked."

        "And I noticed neither did you…" Edward answered.

        She eyed him, "You didn't answer my question big brother."

        Faith sighed, "Its Trevor."

        "What's wrong with him?"

        "We talked to him about Brenda…and our concerns for them…well for something that might come up."

        "So?"

        "We don't know his feelings…" Edward said, glancing at his wife, "We figured he would go to you before he would come to us.  The boys have always felt more comfortable with you, and we're fine with that as long as we get to know too…"

        "And we know you have good morals and always advise them to do the best thing." Faith added.

        "So you're saying…" Gwyneth said, not sure what they were exactly talking about.

        "Be ready for him." Edward said.  She nodded and made her way up the stairs slowly.  She all of the sudden felt old and weak.  She felt totally drained.  She was sure a good nights rest would help her greatly, so then she could talk to Jack and maybe tell him part of what had happened to her in the past fourteen years and how it could relate to him.

        Once she got in her room, lit all her candles, closed the draperies, she jumped slightly when she saw Trevor sitting in a chair.  "Sorry," he said plainly.  

        She shrugged, "I guess I'm kinda of used to people on my bed scaring me half to death…"

        He smiled weakly. "Auntie…"  She sighed and walked over to the bed, sitting on the side of it.  He scooted up next to her and even though he was much taller than she, he leaned his head on her shoulder and sighed heavily.

        "Hard day?"

        He nodded, "Mom and dad's talk ruined my whole day."

        "I know how you feel kid," she said, leaning her head against his and putting her arm around him.

        "I feel so immature."

        She smiled, "All of us do once in a while…"

        There was a pause before he said, "They said that she's a pirate…"

        Gwyneth paused, "Yes, yes she is."

        "They said I should…pursue other girls…of higher position."

        _Oh…I get it now.  _"They're looking out for you…no matter how right or wrong they could be."

        "What do you think?"

        "That's dangerous Trevor…I don't want to say something that might-"

        "Please, Aunt Gwyneth." He said, cutting her off.

        She sighed, knowing that whatever she said would stay in this room.  "Well look at Will and Elizabeth!  They love each other, have five kids and came from totally different backgrounds!  His father was a pirate for goodness sake!"

        "That's true…"

        Gwyneth paused, "So does this mean you like her?"

        He groaned, "That's what Mark asked."  Gwyneth nodded, seeing that he would ask that, but didn't say anything.  Trevor closed his eyes, "She's…attractive…"  Gwyneth nodded again, thinking that Brenda was quite beautiful.  "And those gray eyes of hers…they seem to penetrate my entire being!"

        "That look she gets from her father."

        "But not the eyes…"

        Gwyneth nodded, knowing who she got the eyes from.  Beverly.  _I wonder if now that Brenda knows, if she'll confront __Beverly__._

        "Did you see Jack today?"

        "Yes...how'd you know?"

        "Lucky guess…"

        "Hmmm…You need more time on your hands."

        Trevor shrugged, "I heard he had a massive bruise on his jaw…is it still there?"

        Gwyneth smiled, "Yes it is."

        "Did you talk to him?"

        "Yea…we had a nice long talk…"

        "You seem tired, was it a stressful thing to do?"

        She paused, _stressful?_  "Nah…not really.  Draining maybe, but not stressful."

        "Do you love him?"

        Gwyneth paused, **_that's what you get for asking him a similar question_**.  

        _Did I ever stop loving him?  Did I ever love him in the first place?  _"That's a little more complicated."

        "Are you leaning towards yes or no?"

        She sighed and patted her nephew's arm.  "I'm leaning towards I don't want to think about it."

        "Yes or no, Gwyneth…"

        "You're stubborn, you know that?"

        Trevor nodded, "It comes with age."

        She smirked, "I might possibly perhaps maybe kinda leaning towards…yes."  Trevor smiled.  Gwyneth reveled in that for a moment and then said, "But don't tell the pirate."

--------------

**Author Thanks:**

**          Piper8188: lol, you crack me up.  Gwen and Jack have kissed before…I didn't really explain it when it happened, but I mentioned it when Jack was leaving her house or something…I can't remember.  I'm glad you liked those things in my chapter, and yes you're advice for the Brenda explaining Rick thing was good.  Everyone loved that I wrote that…lol.  Why I didn't think of it in the first place, I wasn't sure.**

**          Emma436: You're insane, you know that?  I can't believe you put the Shooter/shoot her thing in your review.  I almost started crying.  That movie scared the pants off me. Yet I'm going to see it again!  Omg, I'm so excited to post this bloody thing…ah!  It's so stinkin' long and it has A LOT of good stuff in it.  No!  Drinking…not yet.  Jack is slowly…well…becoming himself again, at least after he lets all this out in the open.  He still has to tell Brenda though. So he's on the slow road to recovery… and he starts drinking when well…something bad happens…but I can't tell you!  But since you're a psychic, you might figure it out anyways.  **

**          Dawnie-7: So yea…same with me and Secret Window.  Didn't really realize it until the last minute.  Then it REALLY freaked me out.  The scene where he stabs her in the leg with a tool…ew.  And then at the end with the Corn…field.  Auh.  I wanted to ….see it again. Lol.  Oh!  So yea, did you like this chapter? With the whole explanation thing?**

**          Albe-Chan**

**          Vicki Turner**

**          ThePinkPanther **


	15. What I Really Want to Say

        Brenda ended up coming in late that night and then staying in her room later than she had planned.  She heard the boys' door open pretty early, and if she was asleep she wouldn't have heard it.  But the fact of the matter was, she had only got about five hours of sleep during the night.  Mixed thoughts of her father, Trevor and Gwyneth were in her head and wouldn't leave her alone.  She even had dreams about them.

        **_I thought you said you were going to talk to Trevor, whether he wanted to or not._**

****_I avoided him last night because he didn't seem ready._

        **_What happened to the whether he wanted to or not part?_**

****_I don't want dad talking to me when I'm not ready…so shouldn't I give Trevor that same courtesy?_

_        **No.**_

****_Oh be quiet._

Speaking of her father, she needed to talk to him.  Badly.  And she figured she should approach him since he probably didn't know when she would be ready to talk.  She frowned.  The bed was warm and comfortable, and she desperately needed to get some sleep, but it looked as though she wasn't going to get anymore today.  She quickly got ready and went down stairs.

        Sitting at the table was Jonathan.  Waiting for breakfast, reading a book.  She smiled.  "What's Jacque bringin' you?"

        He looked up, pushed up he glasses and said, "Eggs, Bacon and toast.  Do you want the same thing?"

        "Sure." She said shrugging.  He nodded once and got up, going into the kitchen and telling cook to get the same thing for Brenda.  He came back out and sat in his spot, which Brenda had sat across from.  "Pleasant walk?"

        She eyed him, "Kinda…why?"

        "I heard you come in late last night.  One of the downsides of being a light sleeper.  Got something…big on your mind?"

        She stretched and yawned, "I still need to talk to my dad about something pretty important…and your brother in fact…" she looked around, "He still here?"

        Jonathan shook his head, "No, he left early, early this morning…might've went to work, not sure though."  He paused before he said, "Why do you need to talk to him…not to pry or anything."

        She smiled, "Course not.  I wouldn't think of you doin' such a thing…"

        He raised an eyebrow, "But you're not going to tell me, are you?"

        "I have a gut feelin' you already know what's wrong with your brother…"

        "_That's_ what you want to talk to him about?"

        "What else?!  That boy as been acting weird since yesterday mornin'!  I want to know what the blast is wrong with him!"

        He eyed her, crossing his arms, "Why are you so interested in him?"

        She paused, leaning back in her chair, _Johnny's more coy than I thought…_ "I don't think I'm gunna answer that."

        "Figures."

        "Figures!  What's that s'posed to mean?!"

        "It means whenever a woman gets asked about her feelings she _never_ comes right out and talks about them…she either hides them from everyone until her all her emotions explode on her 'crush' or she slowly releases them, but doesn't ever tell him the truth."

        Brenda's mouth dropped, if that wasn't a biased opinion on women in general, then she didn't know what was.  "Are you trying to tell me that men don't do the same thing?"

        He paused, seemingly considering the question, "Not sure…men always have to make the first move so naturally a woman knows how a man feels."

        "Do think that will always be the case?  That men will always court women instead of the other way around?  That they will always ask the women to be their wives instead of the women asking first?"

        Jonathan paused again, knowing his answer but also knowing how Brenda's temper rose quickly.  "Yes…" he said slowly, "I think that will _always _be the case."

        She frowned, considering her own question, _not like it has anything to do with the subject, but at least it got him off the subject of my feelin's toward Trevor.  Let's hope he doesn't have the memory of an elephant. _

The food quickly came and Jonathan and Brenda had a fun time talking together and laughing with each other about society's flaws and the perks, and also the flaws and perks of being a pirate.  Never again considering Trevor and how Brenda felt about him.

        Gwyneth soon got up and Brenda told her that she was going to go to the Turners, hoping to find Jack.  Gwyneth asked if she wanted to take a carriage, but Brenda refused, saying the Caribbean always had nice weather, so why not enjoy it?  

        Brenda passed through the market place, trying to remember exactly _where_ the Turner household was.  She had told Gwyneth she didn't need directions because she remembered from when they went there before, but now as she stood in the middle of the market place she thought to herself, _maybe I took a wrong turn somewhere…_

        "Brenda?"

        She turned upon hearing her name.  There stood the Commodore and his wife, Beverly.  Brenda's blood immediately ran cold, remembering Jack talking to this woman about her.  "You look lost…" the Commodore started, "You need help?"

        "I-I…I'm lookin' for…the-the Turners." She stuttered out.  She mentally smacked herself for acting so stupidly but she couldn't move any part of her body from shock.

        Beverly looked around and then looked at Brenda, "It's over in that direction dear." She said pointing towards the water.  She gave Brenda directions but she didn't hear them, all she noticed was Beverly's eyes.  They were the exact color of her own.

        Finally she couldn't take it; she couldn't _not_ say something, "So when did you leave?"

        Beverly stopped short, "Excuse me dear?  Leave where?"

        "Leave us.  Leave the _Pearl__.  _Leave _me._"

        Beverly's mouth immediately dropped and Brenda felt like crying while the Commodore looked from his wife to the girl standing in front of him.  She quickly shook her head, looking at the ground, "I'm sorry…I shouldn't have said that…I'm sorry…"  She shook her head again, looked at the Commodore and then at Beverly and then ran off, in the direction that Beverly had told her to go.

*****

Jack numbly sat down in the chair a man servant was holding out.  He almost laid his head on the table but remembered his manners.  He wasn't even sure how he got out of bed and down the stairs without falling.  Breakfast went smoothly enough, Will and Rick left with Sheldon and Jeffery, saying they need a man's day.  Jack declined to going, hoping he might make it over to Gwyneth's to talk to his daughter.

Suzanna, Cassandra and Daphne started planning their mother's surprise party (which was tomorrow) in another room while Elizabeth said she needed to buy some food so she was going to the market, trusting Jack to take the girls with him if he left if Will wasn't home yet.

        He sighed, _so while they're planning your party, the males are gone and you're gone…what am I supposed to do?  And then why take them with me?  She's just hoping the nephews and nieces of Gwen would be home to keep them company._

He got himself dressed and back downstairs when he popped his head in the room were the little female Turners were giggling uncontrollably.  He smiled, remembering when Brenda was like that.  _Yea, except she grew out of that around thirteen…_ He sighed and started slowly walking around the house when suddenly, the door flew open and there stood a flushed Brenda with wet streaks down her cheeks.  

        "Bean!  What are you doin' here?  I was just about to-"

        "She walked in, slamming the door behind her, and grabbed something and threw it on the floor.  Jack looked at the sharks tooth and then back at his daughter, waiting for her to say something, "I just ran into the bloody Commodore and his wife!  Or my mom!  Whatever!  Let's just say that they both took me buy bloody surprise and I'm pretty bloody sure I got the blasted message across that I know!"

        Jack stood staring at his daughter for a minute, processing everything and then slowly a look of shock made it's way across his face.  His face grew white, his pupils shrank and eyes got large and his mouth dropped.  _The Commodore is going to kill me with his own two hands…_

"Why did you lie to me in the first place?!" she yelled, tears threatening to come down. 

        "Are you sure yer ready to talk?" he asked, getting over his shock, trying to focus his attention on his daughter.

        She cursed, "Yes!  Just bloody tell me!"

        He paused, wondering if he should ask about the tooth and why she threw it down, _Oh yea, I gave that too her on her seventeenth birthday.  _He sighed, picked it up and then held on to it while he looked at her, "I didn't want you to hate your mother."

        "So what, did you think I would never find out?"

        "Why do you think I told my crew never to come to Port Royal?!  I didn't want to risk you finding out!  I didn't want you finding Gwen or the Turner's who were the only people who knew!  I didn't want to you remember anything!"

        "Why forget Gwen, Will and Elizabeth?  They're great people and never once mentioned Beverly!  You could've at least told me about them!"  She paused, remembering when they all came to see her in the jail, "Dad, you should've seen the look on Gwyneth's face when she realized I didn't remember her.  I felt like I was breakin' her heart."

        _Oh, I've gotten that look before…_ "I'm sorry bean, I don't know what to tell you…"

        "How 'bout the truth.  Like how you two met and what happened that made her leave."

        Jack looked down at the tooth in his hand and then looked at his daughter.  He wrapped his arm around her and kissed her forehead, drawing her near him, "I'll tell you whatever you want to know."

****

The walk back to their home was deathly quiet, at least between the two of them.  All sorts of possible explanations were coming and going through his mind while she fought back the urge to cry.  Finally he asked, "What did she mean?"

        Beverly closed her eyes, she had been hoping he wouldn't ask that question, she was hoping he would trust her, _But I guess there's a limit for trust._  She swallowed hard and opened her tear-filled eyes, "You want to hear it straight out?"  He nodded, not sure he did, but it was what she was offering.  "I'm her mother."

        That hit the Commodore like an arrow to the heart.  He gasped quietly but kept a normal pace with her, and didn't latch on to her arm or grab his own heart.  _If __Beverly__ is Brenda's mother…and Brenda is Jack's daughter…_ He now understood the needing to talk to Jack and the hesitation for seeing him at the picnic last week.  They were either lovers or husband and wife.  "Then what about Antonio?  Is that Jack's son also?"

        Beverly quickly turned around upon reaching the house and put her hands on his chest, looking up at him with big, tear-filled gray eyes.  "James, what I tell you now…I never told you before because I though you would love me _less._  And I couldn't deal with that…I couldn't…" she paused, "You're my everything James, and I love you."

        He looked down at her, "Just tell me the truth Beverly.  Thirteen years of marriage, you should be able to do that."

        She paused, hearing the hurt in that comment.  She nodded, tried to take his hand, which he refused and then went into the house and into the parlor.  She sat across from him and tried to collect herself, but wasn't succeeding very well.  She started anyways, "James…I know it's been a long time, but do I look at all familiar to you?"

        He paused, looking at her as if she was insane, "What are you talking about?"

        She sighed, "I met Jack here, on Port Royal.  I was picking his pocket and he found me.  We made a bit of a scene and both ended up in jail…" she paused, thinking that would spark a memory, but nothing.  She continued.  "He had stuck me as a pirate when I first saw him and when he told me who he was, I knew I had to get on his ship.  The stories you hear about _Captain Jack Sparrow_…are…well, infamous.  So he soon invited me on his ship, we quickly broke out of your jail and left.  

        "Needless to say…I ended up pregnant a couple months later…I can't remember exactly, but it was a short time after I joined his crew.  I had Brenda in a port and then a week or so later went back on the _Pearl__._  But it occurred to me that I didn't want to be on a pirate ship with a baby.  I didn't really want the baby in the first place.  So I left."  She paused, remembering the terrible memory it left on her.  _Many of my memories are like that…_  "She had to be only a year old when I did leave…I think I ended up in Trinidad.  I met another pirate there and we got married."

        She took in a deep breath, looking at her husband; he had no expression on his face.  She decided to leave out the part about Antonio and Elizabeth's mother, "Well to say the least, Antonio got into some…strange treasure.  It effected me greatly though.  I was eight months pregnant and went gallivanting around the Caribbean kidnapping and threatening Gwen, Brenda, Jack, Will and Elizabeth…" she shook her head, "It's a miracle the Turner's let me stay with them when I arrived here…anyways…that's it.  I've had a shady and rough past, but I don't want that to affect my future."

        James Norrington stared at his wife, wanting so badly to believe her, but this whole story was new and shocking to him.  He quickly got up, wanting to offer an explanation to his wife but not thinking of one.  He shook his head and motioned for her to stay there and then left the house.  She paused a minute before totally breaking down and crying.

****

After an hour or so, Jack and Brenda had completely gotten out in the open everything Brenda wanted to know about Beverly.  She had confessed a lot of feelings she had when she was a girl but didn't open up about the feelings she was feeling presently.  

        Jack admitted he made a mistake of not going after Beverly and talking everything through with her when she first left.  He told Brenda that she had apologized a couple days ago and they both made the decision that they should go over to the Commodore's house to talk to both of them.  

        _No doubt Norrington already talked to her…knowing him.  _There was a pause before she said, "So dad…that's not the only thing I wanted to talk to you about…"

        He nodded, "I wanted to talk to you about the same thing.  But you pretty much know the basics, so why don't you start this one?"

        She sighed and got up, starting to pace, "Dad, it was like…well…" she tried to find the right words, but nothing was coming.  She needed something that expressed her father perfectly before this change in him started."You used to be self-righteous!"

        He frowned, "hey…"

        "That's not really an insult dad, it's the truth.  But when Gibbs died, you seemed to die along with him.  You locked yourself in your cabin when you knew well and good that your crew was feeling the same way!  Gibbs was a vital member of your crew and had been there before I was even born…so it's understandable the…hurt you felt, because we all felt it!"  She paused, looking at her dad, he seemed ashamed, but he was still listening to her, something she knew he would always do.  

        "And when Ana Maria left you practically forced me to be the Captain of the _Pearl__,_ granted I was excited but disappointed that the only reason you did that was 'cause you were mopin' around.

        "That was a perfectly ration decision!  I wasn't fit to be captain so I passed it on to you."

"No it wasn't dad!  You lost the capacity to make rational choices long before that!" 

        She crossed his arms, wishing he had gone first.  Brenda always did make a point of bringing up what actually happened, rather than what he thought happened.  "Your point?"

        "Dad, you left the ship in the middle of the night, do you still think that was a rational choice?"

        He paused, "Yes…maybe."

        "We went two weeks without raidin' any ships 'cause we wanted to make sure we wasted no time lookin' for our blasted daft captain!  Soon enough we ran out of money and then we ran out of food.  We didn't know what to do, and then low and behold, the bloody Royal Navy was on our tails.  I surrendered myself, thinkin' once I was gone the crew might raid something but keep lookin' for you."

        "Well they're not lookin' now…Right?  They're finding a good time to get you…" he said, thinking it was a no form the look on Brenda's face.

        "They dropped my bloody trunk off with a note, tellin' me they would come back once they found you."

        Jack cursed, _Ana Maria needs to be on that bloody ship, she was the only common sense on the crew full of men…_  "Well, now what?"

        "Tell me what was goin' on!" she yelled, throwing her hands up, "What else!?"

        He sighed, biting his lip and quickly stopped, knowing Gwyneth did that.  "Look Bean…" he said, motioning for her to sit down, she did and he started again, "When Gibbs died, my life pretty much past before my eyes.  I'm not young anymore…evident by the gray in my hair…" he said pointing to his hair.  She shook her head, grimacing, wanting his old hair back.

        "Why did you ever cut your hair?  Why did you change, dad?  That still doesn't explain it."

        "Because I wanted to get as far away from piracy as I could.  I was going to get a letter to you sooner or later…"

        "Dad, yer not young, that's a given, but yer also not old!  Getting older, true, but not old.  You still act as immature as anyone I know and you have the spirit as a teenage boy.  Though your bones may not agree with you…your mind does."  She sighed, "Dad, you are the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow.  Don't you want to live that to the fullest?"

        "Yes, but I don't want to die in the process, Brenda."

        "Would you rather die while yer livin' or live while yer dead."

        He paused, narrowing his eyes, "What is that supposed to mean?"

        "It means would you rather die when yer doin' something you love and wouldn't trade for anything in the world, or would you stay here on land where you hate it?"

        He started to object to hating land, but she held up her hand, "It's nothin' like bein' on the sea and you know it."

        He nodded.  He did like the land, but he wouldn't want to have to live the rest of his days here.  He looked at his daughter, smiling and kissed her forehead, "You bring out the good in me, bean.  Thank you for stickin' by me…"

        She rolled her eyes thinking, _he's getting' emotional…_ "Don't cry on me dad…" she said wrapping her arms around him and nestling her head on his shoulder, glad that he was going to be okay.  That she knew this talk would stick with him and slowly transform him.  

        He laughed, "I don't cry."

****

        Later that afternoon there was a knock on Trevor's door. He turned away from his wood temporarily and grunted.  Usually if his door was closed people knew not to bother him.  At times when the door was closed was when he was distressed or carving.  This time it was both.

        He got off his bed and walked to the door and opened it.  There was Brenda holding on to something and looking around. When the door opened her head snapped to the person who opened it.  Trevor sighed, he was hoping he could avoid talking to her, but she was stubborn.  "What?"

        She raised an eyebrow at his tone of voice, "I need help."

        "I thought you were independent and didn't need help from the likes of me."

        "Nonsense!  I said that when I didn't know how valuable you really are…" she paused, hoping he didn't take that in a romantic way, "I broke something."

        "Of mine or my parents?"

        She sighed, "My mine devil boy!"  She held up her tooth and the leather she had broken. 

        He raised an eyebrow, "Are you trying to tell me you don't know how to tie leather?"

        "Well…the thing is… my hair is long and…well…it's hard for me to tie it around my neck.  And I'm not the best at makin' knots anyways."

        "How long have you been on a pirate ship?"

        She put her hand on her hips, "Are you gunna criticize me or help me?"

        "I would most like to do the former, but since you asked so _nicely_…" he said sarcastically.  She nodded and gave the necklace to him and turned around.  He tried to get the first knot out while she got all her hair and pulled it to the side.  _Jeez my hair is long…I should trim it.  Considering I have been growing it for about ten years…  _She suddenly felt his hand brush against her skin and him say, "Lift up your mane, would you?"

        She did as she was told and tried to fight off the feelings she was having.  She could feel his breath go down her neck, feeling shivers going down her spine.  He quickly tied it and then when he was finished she let go of her hair and turned back around, "So, want to go ride Pearl?"

        "No thanks…I'm working on something."

        She tried peering over his shoulders, but he blocked her vision.  "Like what?"

        "Something…"

        She stared at him, "What's with you?  You haven't talked to me since yesterday afternoon and now yer refusin' to even see inside your room!"

        He sighed, "I'm carving something, okay?"

        "Yes, but that still doesn't explain anything to me!  Are you mad, what?"

        "No, Brenda, it's nothing like that…just leave it alone, would you?"

        Her mouth dropped and her eyes narrowed, "Are you trying to tell me when you pick me up screaming and biting its okay even though I told you _not_ to touch me and to leave me alone, but when I try to even talk to you, you tell me to leave?"

        He didn't say anything but just looked at her, not wanting to think about what his parents said and not to prove them right.  _Just leave…I'm trying to distance myself from you!  Don't you see that?!_  "I'm fine.  I just want some alone time, can't you understand that?"

        She narrowed her eyes, "I'm not leaving until you tell me."

        "Fine," He said, "Stay here, see if I care," and then slammed the door in her face.

        Her mouth dropped.  _Fine you bloody devil.  If askin' nicely doesn't work…then I'm usin' force.  _She opened the door, drew her cutlass and stuck it in the lock, keeping the door shut unless you removed the cutlass.  He turned around, "What do you _want_?!"

        "You know what I want, just bloody tell me!"

        "Why is it important to you!"

        She paused, "It's not important why it's important to me!"

        "I'm not telling you until you tell me why." He said crossing his arms, and don't think I'm not as stubborn as you."

        She straightened her body, trying to make herself look taller, "Look Trevor…we've…gotten to know each other better…and I just thought…" she paused, no, she was going at this the wrong way.  "I just thought you could trust me…" she said, swallowing her pride, hoping this fake could work.

        "I would rather have the truth Sparrow."

        Her mouth dropped, "That is the bloody truth Johnson!"

        "You know, I really don't think so…"

        "Hey!  I'm the one askin' the questions here!  Don't try turnin' the tables on me, when you know well and good that this is about you!"

        "You talk to your father yet?"

        She paused, "What in the bloody…! What does that have to do with anything?!"

        He shrugged, "I think that it's important."

        "Well I think this is important!"

        "But you also think your father is important…"

        "My father is bloody fool."

        "If your father was a fool, I have a feeling he would've been killed on the first raid he ever went on."

        "Yea well, the surprising thing about young fools is how many survive to become old fools."

        He nodded, wondering if she had noticed yet that he had gotten her off topic.  "Trevor!" she said stomping her foot.  _She realized it._

        "What?" he asked.

        "Stop changing the blasted subject!  Why aren't you talking to me?!"

        He sighed, "The problem isn't you…"

        "Oh?"

        "That's all I'm going to tell you…but just know that this has nothing to do with you."

        "I think it does when you stop talkin' to me."

        He paused, "I'm sorry."

        "Are you really?" she said, eyeing him.

        He nodded, walking close to her.  She started to panic, "Well that's good…thanks for the explanation…"

        He stared at her, "Why so jumpy all of the sudden?"  He asked, still advancing.

        "Uh…what do you mean?  I'm not jumpy…"

        "Really."

        She smiled weakly, "Really, really."

        She had finally backed up against a wall and Trevor was only a foot away, knowing what he wanted to do, knowing he had a chance to do it, but not sure why he decided _now_ of all times.  "What are you doing Trevor…" she asked quietly.  

        He sighed, "I'm not sure."  He backed up, "just leave, would you?"

        She stood there, staring at him, noticing her heart was beating faster than it ever had.  Could she still deny what she was feeling?  _He obviously feels the same way…maybe I should leave._

_        **Just bloody kiss him**_**, **her inner voice told her.  She ran her tongue across the inside of her teeth and thought this was the most awkward times for such a thing.  "Brenda…" Trevor said, his blue eyes boring into her gray eyes, "Just…"

        He didn't finish his sentence before Brenda did something neither of them ever would've expected.  

------------

**A/N: I know…I'm evil.  Tell me what you think she did.**

**Author Thanks:**

**          Dawnie-7: Yes, ah the Trevor/ Brenda thing is developing nicely.  This chapter really hit it off.  And the Jack thing, I thought I needed Brenda's view on the whole thing…but that's what I was thinking- that it was simple…I thought it was so simple that no one would buy it.  But I suppose it worked, I didn't get any flames.  **

**          Vicki Turner: Yes, Trevor and Brenda seem to be the favorites for everyone now…**

**          Emma436: Well, my little Psychic, were you expecting this?  Of course no one knows what Brenda actually _did._  You'll prolly lean more toward the 'love fest' idea though.  Ha ha, you crack me up girl.  No…the drinking is going to happen AFTER something bad.  You were close though.  You might figure it out.  I think I'm going to have the 'grand unveiling' next chapter…but that means not a whole lot of chapters left…I dunno what I'm going to do.  Maybe, maybe not.  Sorry…rambling.  Okay!  Oh, did you get the thing from Piper8188?**

**          ThePinkPanther: Another psychic? Something big happened in this chapter!  WOAH!  And I didn't even remember what you reviewed until now…woah…that's like creepy.  **

**          Albe-Chan: Things working out in the end…what a strange idea…hmm…JUST KIDDING!  But you'll have to see what happens in the end…**

**          Piper8188: You think that was a big response?  Cool!  I…was unsure about that.  But I guess it turned out okay.  Wow…Brenda and Trevor…I guess this chapter leaves questions for everyone…or maybe everyone is going to get excited.  Who knows!  **

**          DragonFlygirl: I hope you read the other chapters and liked them!**


	16. Love is a Private Affair

**Author's Note: Well this chapter is certainly full of twist and turns…and I'm intending to jerk you around for all it's worth…you guys are awesome and I loved all your responses to what you think Brenda and Trevor did…now you finally get to find out…but just a little hint, ALL OF YOU ARE RIGHT!  You'll find out later….**

**______________**

       "OW!" Trevor's cry rang through the whole house.  Brenda cursed herself from slapping him so hard.  She covered his mouth with her hand and told him to shut up.  He nodded and she slowly removed his hand.  "Why'd you hit me?!" He yelled.

        She smiled nervously, "Did I hurt you?"

        He removed his hand from his cheek, "Well at least you didn't punch me like you did your father."

        "That bruise is starting to fade…"

        Trevor shook his head and stared at the short woman in front of him, "Why did you slap me?"

        "Oh…that…well…" she paused, _should I tell him the truth?_  "I didn't want you to do something we both might…"

        "Regret?"

        "Like."

        He frowned, "You slapped me because you didn't want to do something that we both would…like.  Is that right?"

        "You make it sound like a mortal sin!  I was just lookin' out for you bub!" she said pointing a finger at him.

        He eyed her, "So does this mean we have a…"

        "Mutal attraction?  Yea, I would say so."

        He frowned, how come she was so open with this?  You'd think she would be repressing the emotions.  _Oh, like slapping me so we wouldn't do something isn't repressing her own emotions…_ "Wait, how is a slap in the face a way of looking out for me?"

        Her mouth dropped, offended he wouldn't understand, "Trevor, you know as well as me…well…we're from two different societies…"

        He rolled his eyes, "I am sick and tired of hearing that!  Aren't we old enough to decide whether we like each other or not?!  Aren't we old enough to put aside where we came from and just look at the person?!"

        She paused, "We may be old enough, but your parents are too old."

        He crossed his arms, _when did love become a public affair?_

        "So what are you going to do about it?"

        "Huh?"

        "You said we're old enough to look past where we came from…what are you going to do about your parents?"

        He stared at her, "First I want to make sure I won't get slapped if I touch your arm."

        She scowled, "I didn't want anything to happen!  And if you keep teasing me about it…I'll make sure you don't even get close enough to touch my arm."

        He frowned, he didn't want that to happen.  He sat on his bed, "How did this happen?"

        She shrugged, "I made you open about our feelings."  She smiled, "And don't you just adore me for it?"

        He smirked, "Not really.  Because all it creates is confusion, hurt, anger and awkwardness."

        She looked at him, thinking he was right.  It's not like they knew each other well enough to kiss or something, and without real feelings they were sure of, what was there to worry their parents about?  She sighed.  She when to the door and removed her cutlass.  Before leaving the room she said, "The next time you get close, I won't slap you."

****

        "I don't know how you did it."

        Will looked at Jack.  _What is he talking about?_  Elizabeth and Rick were playing with the kids out in the yard but Will had gotten home from a long day at work and wanted to just rest.  Jack just wanted to rest because he still had all these thoughts of old and young in his head.  Was he too old?  He wasn't sure, but he didn't want to break his back trying to figure it out.

        The Caribbean air was cooling off slowly as the sun went down, creating the perfect atmosphere.  Jack looked at his friend, "I don't know how you got through four pregnancies and five kids without going crazy."

        "Why would I go crazy?"

        Jack shook his head, looking out into the yard, watching the children having a wonderful time, "When Brenda was learning to walk, I was a nervous wreck.  Beverly wasn't even as nervous as me.  I was right behind Brenda every step and never let her hit the ground.  When she grew up a little more and it was just me and her, I don't remember how long it took me to trust her balance when all she did was look over the railing.  I thought for sure she was somehow get swept over board when all she was doing was standing on her toes, looking over."

        Will laughed slightly, "I went through the exact same thing, trust me.  It's especially the hardest with the first kid…" he looked out to his children as well, "Holding Sheldon and Suzanna was the hardest thing I ever had to do.  They were so small…I thought I was going to break them."

        Jack nodded, knowing the feeling.  "You know, when I was younger, I remember taking a bunch and wanting to cry when I got that bloody black eye…but I didn't.  And ten years ago, a little girl who came up to my waist with a pony tail…she could make me cry."

        Will nodded as well, "It's amazing how tough you think you are until you have kids."  Jack nodded.  Will watched him and then said, "Did you talk to her?"

        Jack nodded, "We're fine…I pretty much explained everything."

        "Jack…Gwyneth came to my shop today…"

        Jack turned and looked at his friend, "She told you, I assume?"

        Will nodded, "She said you wouldn't mind."

        Jack shrugged, "I don't really.  I was going to tell you though…"

        "Well don't be ashamed of it, everyone gets scared of death…its human."

        "Yea, but are you supposed to be human when you're _Captain Jack Sparrow?_"

        Will paused, realizing that there was a big difference between Jack the Captain and Jack the man.  "Well I'm glad the human side was more evident then the Captain side…"

        Jack looked at him, "Really?"

        Will shrugged, "Sure.  I like Jack either way…because he's still one of my good friends and my mentor."

        Jack beamed, turning his attention back to the kids.  "Thanks Will. I needed that…"

****

        "Yes?"

        "Can you do something for me?"

        "Anything."

        "Cut my hair…"

        Gwyneth's eyes widened as she looked at Brenda and then at her hair, "Are you sure dear?"

        "Well I don't want you to shop it off…I love having long hair…but just trim it a little."

        Gwyneth bit her lip, she hadn't cut hair in a while.  She closed the current book she was reading, put the book and spectacles on the table next to her bed and got out from underneath the covers.  She took Brenda's hand and led her downstairs to the kitchen.  She told Jacque she needed scissors and he went and got some for her.  Gwyneth sat Brenda down and took all her hair and put it in front of the back of the chair.  She sighed, "Are you sure dear?"

        She nodded, "Sure as ever."

        "What are you two doing?" Mark asked, seeing the two, about to go up to his room with his brothers, "Isn't it past your bedtime, Auntie?"

        She laughed sarcastically, "Don't mess with me Mark, you'll be next if you're not careful."

        "No, but seriously, what are you two doing at this hour?" Jonathan asked.

        "I'm cutting her hair!  What does it look like!"

        "It's awfully late…" Trevor added.

        "Trevor Johnson!  Do not tell me there is a law that says you can't cut hair at this hour!"

        "Well no but…"

        "Exactly!" she said, pointing the scissors at her nephews, but smiling, "Now leave us be!  She asked me, and I'm doing it for her."

        They shrugged, accepting that response.  Trevor paused a minute however, before going up stairs with his brothers, "Brenda, come and get me when you're done…I'd like to talk to you…"

        She nodded and he quickly left.  Gwyneth hid her smile and tried to figure out how she was going to do this.  The hair wasn't long enough to reach the floor when Brenda was sitting down, it was at an awkward spot when she was sitting down in fact.  "Hun, get up and let me take the chair…I think that'll be a better angle."

        Brenda did as she was told, and indeed, with Gwyneth sitting down, it made it a lot easier to cut, so she started, hair quickly falling around Brenda's feet.  A twinge of anxiety went through her, so she quickly changed the subject.

        "I talked to dad today…"

        "Oh?" Gwyneth said, feeling a little jealous that she herself didn't get to talk to Jack.

        "Yea, we had a nice long talk about everything he's been going through.  And we talked about Beverly…I'm assuming you know?"

        Gwyneth nodded, "I've known for a while."

        "Yea, well I might've accidentally said something to her when I ran into them in the market place.  It was pretty direct…I just hope she and the Commodore will be okay…" 

        "It needed to come out in the open sooner or later anyhow.  I'm just surprised she hasn't told him yet.  they've been married for thirteen years…but for all we know, he does know and what you said didn't bother them a bit."

        "I hope so.  But dad and I are going to go over there tomorrow and talk to them."        

        "Tomorrow?" she questioned, _maybe he and I could spend some time together.  _

        "Yea…are you hoping to see him?"

        Gwyneth smiled, "You can read me like a book."

        "It's one of my uncanny abilities!"  A few more minutes standing there, and then Gwyneth was finished.  She only cut off about an inch, still making her hair long, but Brenda pouted, "It's short…"  

        Gwyneth shook her head, knowing she was really happy with it but hadn't cut her hair in so long, she forgot what it felt like.  "Well, now I _am_ going to go to bed.  I'll see you in the morning.  Do you want me to wake you up?"

        "Yea, sure, before breakfast preferably.  Oh, could you go get Trevor for me?" she said, with a sheepish grin on her face.  

        Gwyneth rolled her eyes and nodded, "I'll see you in the morning Brenda…" and then went to Trevor's room to tell him his princess was awaiting his presence.  

****

        "So what did you tell them?"

        Beverly slowly opened her eyes, seeing the dying flame in front of her.  That's when she remembered that she had cried herself to sleep in front of the fire after a dinner without her husband.  She had hoped he would be home soon, but she couldn't help but think this was the thing to push him over the edge.  

        She sat up, her back to the visitor, "I told them their father was having dinner with a friend."

        "Did they believe you?"

        She turned, tears already filling her eyes, "I hope so, because I didn't."

        James Norrington sighed and walked to his wife, sitting down on the floor next to her, "I got to the Turner's doorsteps before I turned around and came back here.  I spent the evening on our front doorstep thinking about you."

        She sighed, "James, I'm so sorry.  But even after all this time I thought that if you saw another imperfection in me…you wouldn't love me."

        He stared at her, "What was the first one?"

        Her bottom lips wavered, "I was with child when you first met me!  When we got married Samuel was two years old!  Isn't that enough?"

        He shook his head, grabbing her hand and kissing it, "I fell in love with you.  Not with your past and not with your mistakes.  I'm sorry I left without saying anything, but I needed time to myself to think about everything."

        "So you're not mad?"

        He paused, "Maybe a little disappointed, that you didn't know me better than that after thirteen years."

        She nodded, "That's understandable."

        He sighed, "So do you completely trust me?"

        She smiled, "With all my heart."

        "And I have your heart?"

        "Completely."

        "And you have mine."

        She smiled, feeling assured that her husband truly loves her and that he's not going to leave on something that happened in her past.  She had a lot of things happen in her past that she's equally sorry and apologetic for.  She nodded and kissed her husband, putting all her emotion into it and he kissed back, telling her his emotions through the kiss.  They broke apart and made their way up to their room to hold each other in privacy.

****

        "So what's this all about?"

        Trevor stood in front of Brenda, thousands of butterflies in his stomach, his hands were calmly and his tongue felt like lead.  "We…were you serious when you said…when you said you wouldn't slap me the next time I got c-close."

        She stared at him, "I have a feeling you're a little nervous…"

        "It's a possibility."

        She raised an eyebrow, "I was serious…why?"

        He nodded, _okay…_ he told himself, and in one swift move he took a step near Brenda and bent down and kissed her.  She was first surprised, and it showed.  Trevor had his hands on both her cheeks, his thumbs running over her soft skin, obviously trying to calm her down.  She eased up after a little bit and started to kiss him back.  She drew her hand to his neck and wove her fingers through his blond hair.  

        She drew away with a gasp.  She quickly removed her hand and stepped back.  _This is bad…I actually…enjoyed that…no.  I couldn't have…_  She stared at Trevor, he had a look on his face.  She knew he was concerned about her reaction to the kiss.  "Something wrong?"

        "You…you kissed me!"

        He nodded, "Well I knew I wasn't kissing my mother…"  She didn't smile, "I thought you said…"

        "I said I wouldn't slap you if you tried to get close."

        "And I got close."

        "That's too close!" she said, backing away more.  She hugged herself, all of the sudden feeling taken advantage of even though she encouraged the kiss by kissing back.  She turned away, telling herself she was over reacting, that if she liked Trevor, then why was it such a big deal that he kissed her? 

        Trevor wanted to smack himself across the face.  _She doesn't like to be touched, idiot._  "Brenda I'm sorry…I just forgot you don't like to be touched…"

        She shook her head, turning back to him, "It's not that…"

        "Then what is it?"

        "It was…it was just a surprise though…"

        "Oh…"

        "But not an unpleasant surprise…but a surprise no less."

        "Are you trying to tell me…"

        "When I want to be kissed, I'll kiss you."

        He nodded, his pride somewhat shot down, _Well that's what you get when you're forward, idiot._  He started to walk away but she said, "Was that all you came to do?"

        He turned back around, "No…I wanted to tell you that I didn't care about what my parents or society thinks…I have feelings for a pirate."

        "You sound like you thought it wouldn't ever happen."

        "I didn't think it ever would.  It's not every day when you meet a pirate like you…"

        She paused, "Trevor it's only been about two weeks…not even that… how can you-"

        "I'm not confessing my love for you!  I'm just telling you how I feel now.  And I realize you're a pirate and live on the sea…and I'm not and don't…but that's how I feel now."

        "So what, if I'm still here next week and there's another girl who catches your eye, am I history?"

        "As in…I'm keeping myself safe for when you leave…"

        She completely understood once he said that.  She half smiled, thinking she should be careful to do the same thing.  She would never admit it, but she wouldn't want her heart broken.  "Well just consider what I did a…way to keep both of us safe."

        He nodded, feeling a little bit better.  He sat down on the couch, "Do you want to start a fire?"

        She raised an eyebrow, "Are we going to be talking some more?"

        He shrugged, "Why not?"

        Smiling she said, "And yer not trying to seduce me…?"

        He shook his head, "I will do no such thing…" he said getting up and starting to build it in the fireplace and then finally lit a match to it.  "Not unless you want me to."

        "I shall not be swayed by your sweet words…" she said, sitting down.  Trevor came and sat down next to her.  Soon they started talking as easily as they always had and began to feel sleepy.  The last thing Brenda remembered was thinking, _if I do fall asleep here…Trevor will take me up to my room…_

****

        Gwyneth woke up very unpleasantly the next morning by a loud shriek that seemed to echo through the whole house.  She quickly put on a robe and raced downstairs and to where she heard the loud yell come from.  There was her sister, a face full of horror, looking at a large couch where two people had fallen asleep.  Brenda and Trevor.  Both in each other's arms still sleeping.  

        The first thought that entered Gwyneth's head was, _Trevor's a heavier sleeper than I thought…but they'll wake up soon. _  The second thought was, _they're sleeping on a couch together and you're thinking about when they'll wake up! _ She instantly felt like pulling each hair out of her head one by one. 

        Gwyneth and Faith watched as Brenda's eyes slowly opened and her hands that were holding tightly to Trevor's shirt loosened a little.  Trevor's arms that held her firmly to him didn't move however.  Her eyes popped open when she saw who she was latched onto.  She moved just a little and fell completely off the couch with a bump.  She quickly looked around, her face completely drained of all its blood when she saw Faith and Gwyneth.  

        Faith crossed her arms, "Trevor, get up.  Now."  Faith was usually an easy going person, someone you couldn't anger easily, but when you did get her angry, she was a force to be reckoned with.  And even Trevor knew that.  

        His eyes popped open as well and he looked to see Brenda sitting on the ground, face white as a ghost.  He looked to see what made her so scared.  He quickly sat up himself when he saw the look on his mother's face.  "You're lucky you're father isn't here."

        Trevor swallowed, hoping that was the case.  "Before you think anything bad…let me explain-"

        "Please do, because I have plenty of things going through my head."

        He smiled weakly, "We didn't do anything.  We were just talking…and we must've fallen asleep."

        "And you found each other's arms so easily?"

        Brenda couldn't hold it back, "You idiot!" She said, grabbing the first available pillow and launched it at his head, "Why didn't you take me upstairs when I fell asleep!"

        "Me?  Why didn't you wake me up when you noticed I was dozing off?!"

        She growled, "I feel asleep before you, dimwit."

        "I wouldn't be so sure."

        They both looked at Faith and Gwyneth, realizing there was a time and place to have this conversation and this wasn't it.  Brenda smiled nervously, "Faith, I'll do whatever you say.  But just know, that I didn't do anything with your son…no matter how incriminating it looks."

        Faith stared at Brenda, "Fine.  Please excuse us."

        Brenda nodded and got up, slipping past Gwyneth and giving her an 'I'm sorry' look and then going up to her room.  Faith looked at her son and shook her head, "What were you thinking?"

        He paused, _Does she want me to answer that truthfully? _ "Well…I obviously wasn't thinking."

        She raised an eyebrow, "This, the day after what your father and I told you.  Did you pursue her?"

        "Mom, I'm not going to stop talking to her because of what you think."

        Faith paused, "You're right, and if you did, I'd be worried.  You're not one to always obey.  But Trevor, this isn't a little while lie about skipping rocks when you should've been doing chores!  Last night could've affected your whole life!"

        "But it didn't mom!  Nothing happened!"

        "Yes, but it's your responsibility no matter what.  If something did happen, then you would be held responsible, no matter who Brenda was.  At least in my eyes you would be held responsible.  You're the man in this…relationship, and you need to take care of her.  Of her as a person and her reputation!  I don't care if she doesn't care, but I do.  And along with her reputation, comes yours."

        Trevor sighed, hearing all this for the first time was creating an impact, but did she think this was going to go farther?  He knew that he would be hesitant and so would Brenda.  

        Faith sighed, "Trevor, is all this just going in one ear and out the other?"

        He looked up at her, "No mom.  It's making perfect sense, and you have a perfect right to say anything you want to."

        "Come here…" she said.  He got up and went to her.  She hugged him and kissed his cheek.  "Now go get ready for work."  When he left the room and she heard his door shut, she collapsed on the nearest chair.  "What am I going to do?" She said, almost in tears, "I can't keep this from Edward, but if I tell him, I know he'll want to throw Brenda out…" She covered her eyes with her hand, "Gwyneth, I don't know what to do."

        Gwyneth bit her lip, seeing her sister's dilemma.  "Have me tell him."

        "What?" Faith said, looking up at her, her blue eyes stained with sorrow.  

        "Let me tell him what happened.  I'll take full responsibility for Brenda."

        "Why would you do that?"

        Gwyneth paused, thinking it would be obvious.  _I don't want to explain it to her now…_ "Do you want to be there when I tell him?"

        She nodded, "I think I should."

        "Very well.  When is he due home?"

        "Tonight," Faith answered.

        Gwyneth nodded, "We'll tell him after dinner, how's that?"

        "That's fine."

        "Okay, well if you excuse me…I'm going to go talk to Brenda."

**** 

        "Gwen, please, don't be a bloody fool.  I'll be fine."

        "Brenda, if Edward saw what Faith did, then you wouldn't be standing here right now.  You'd be in Captain Regan's care, a noose tied for your execution the next morning."

        Brenda stared at Gwyneth.  She was sitting on her bed and Brenda was brushing her hair.  Her father was due any moment and as soon as he got there, they were off to the Commodore's.  "Yer brother would do that?"

        "In a heartbeat.  Now do you believe me?"

        Brenda turned back to the mirror, "You don't need to talk to him in my behalf!"

        "If I don't, then who will?"

        Brenda paused, knowing she wouldn't.  The only way she would talk to him would be over a sword fight.  She shrugged, "I dunno."

        "Exactly.  I'm just telling you to warn you."

        Brenda put her brush down and turned to look at Gwyneth, "Do you really believe us?"

        "Of course I do!  Why wouldn't I?"

        Brenda shrugged, "I've just never been…caught in that kinda of situation before and I've never had to have someone…test their trust on me."

        "I still trust you Brenda."

        She nodded, "Okay.  I just…"

        "No explanation needed hun.  I trust you."

        Brenda looked at her, square in the eyes, seeing Gwyneth was really telling the truth.  A slow smile spread across her face.  "Thanks Gwen."  She was about to give her a hug, but then she heard Faith call her.  She quickly crossed her room and opened her door, going over to the banister and looking down.  "Ready to go, Bean?" Jack called.  

        She smiled, "Sure dad," making a mental note, reminding him never to call her that in public again.  But as she walked down the stairs, she noticed a change in her father's appearance.  Was that a dirty shirt, a scarf around his head and sea boots she saw?  _Yes, yes it is._  

        Gwyneth came out of Brenda's room, making sure to tie her robe closed. Jack saw her out of the corner of his eyes, "Gwen…" he said, calling up to her, "You want to spend some time with me today?"

        She nodded, a smile making its way across her face, "Very much so."

        "Wonderful.  When I drop Brenda off here…I'll get you.  Sound good?"

        She nodded, "I'll see you then."    

****

        Jack and Brenda returned to the Johnson house about two hours later.  They had had a nice time talking with the Commodore and his wife and then having lunch with their family.  Jack thought it was ironic that he found himself in Commodore Norrington's house, eating lunch with his family, after all these years.  Maybe the two hadn't made a solid relationship, but it was better than mortal enemies.  

        When Brenda got dropped off at the Johnson's, Gwyneth took her place.  She and Jack went back to the Turner's.  Jack explained that the family had brought Elizabeth breakfast in bed for her birthday and were going to spend the day at the beach.  Rick was around the house somewhere, but Gwyneth and Jack went out into the yard, just to make sure.  

        After about an hour talking about families and birthdays, Gwyneth finally confessed that she knew how Jack felt, because she had lost both her parents in the same month.  Her mother especially was the hardest.  But she got through it, and Jack admitted that since the talk with Brenda, he had started to heal.

        "I think just getting it off my chest helped me a lot." Jack told her.  

        "It makes sense.  It certainly doesn't help to keep things locked up inside you forever."

        He nodded, "So I might go back to the _Pearl_ for a couple more years, but I'm not decided yet."

        The mention of the _Pearl_ brought an instant knot to Gwyneth's stomach.  They were on the porch swing, her leaning on him, both hands entwined with the others, and Jack's arms wrapped around her.  She should've felt at ease, should felt perfect.  And she did, until he said he might go back to his ship.

        **_What were you expecting?_**

****_I'm not sure…but I wasn't expecting to be feeling this again.  _

        She sighed, her eyes going to their hands.  Jack seemed to be unbothered by his statement, so why was she making such a big deal out of this?

        "Jack…" she started, not sure she wanted to say this "We're close, right?"

        He paused, "Aye…What's on your mind, Gwen?"

        "Well…I just didn't think you'd be leaving…"

        He raised his eyebrows, knowing how she could've gotten that impression.  "Well Gwen…"

        "And I know that's selfish of me, to think that and everything…but...I-I…like having you here. Those fourteen years were almost unbearable."

        If his heart wasn't breaking, it certainly was now.  "Gwen…"

        "But I just want to know, and I know it might be a little late now, but…what exactly am I getting myself into?"

        Jack stopped.  He looked around nervously, _what is she getting herself into?  How do I answer that?_

_        **Tell her you're a scum bag, and this is all a fake.  A fake to win a stupid bet.**_

****_Is it all about the bet now?  Has it become something more?  When I agreed to this, I wasn't sure how I feel about her, but now I'm pretty confident about it._

_        **Stop it now.  Save yourself the heartache and stop it now.**_

_        I don't think I'll be able to…_

_        **Then you'll be sorry.**_

****_I don't think I will…_  He paused, saving a minute to consider what he really felt, but he knew what he felt.  Now that he was face with the opportunity, he was sure how he felt.  "I love you," he said plainly, "that's what you're getting yourself into."

        Gwyneth's breath caught in her chest, did he just say what she thought she just said?  Hasn't she been yearning to hear those words from someone since Nathan Swann died?  She had been waiting to hear those words from only one person since he died, and now that she had heard them, she hesitated with her own feelings.

        "You don't know how long I've waited to hear those words…because I feel the same way." she whispered.  Jack smiled.  He hugged her tighter and bent down and kissed her.  

**------------**

**A/N 2: Dun, dun, dun!  I'm sure all of you are just about dying.  I just hope…well never mind.  AND!  As you all can see…Jack is finally on the road to recovery, bringing out old clothes that _Captain Jack Sparrow_ wears.  I'm excited!  **

**Author Thanks:**

**          DragonFlyGirl: Well I'm glad you got caught up with all my chapters, and still reviewed for each one!  I can certainly understand about being busy.**

**          Vicki Turner**

**          Albe-Chan**

**          Dawnie-7: Yea, I thought I needed to add the Commie and Beverly in there. **

**          Piper8188: Yes, Juicy is good, isn't it?  Oh!  I read your one shot for Secret Window…it was good.  I liked it a lot, did I send you a review?  If I didn't, tell me and I'll get right on that, k?**

**          PiratePrincess91:  YAH!  New reviewer!  I'm glad you finally decided to review…nice job.  Have you read the other story, There's Your Trouble?  It's alright if you haven't, I just want to know.  **

**          ThePinkPanther:  Something big still to come?  Yes, I think so.  I think everyone else will to…in fact the NEXT CHAPTER will be something rather…large, you could say.  But oh well.  Ha, ha!  I think I like you're passing out thing better than what I came up with…lol.  **

**          Emma436: I know you didn't have time, but I really would've loved to hear what your thoughts were on my story…and what's going to happen next!  But I can understand with a mother hovering over you like a bug, you might want to finish quickly.  Well I'm glad you're going to update soon.  You can send me an e*mail about my character.  I'm still kinda confused for that.  Are you just going to write it, or do you want me to write something?  Whatever you decide is of course, fine.  I'll be excited just seeing my name in your story!  You're the first one who actually liked the Commodore and his wife getting into a fight…weirdo. Lol.  Oh, Jack realizes A LOT about himself in this chapter…you'll see.  Well, I hope you liked it.  **


	17. Down in Flames

**Author's Note: Wow…this was a really depressing chapter to write.  But I was kinda of in the mood for it.  I'm hoping to get a little cheery in the next chapter.  I'm sorry if I depressed a lot of you, but of course you all knew this was going to happen when Rick first bet Jack.  It's still…sad though.  Oh, and please don't come after me with pitchforks!  I know you all loved the last chapter…but *eek!* I don't want to lose reviewers…**

**_________________**

Jack wasn't sure how exactly he got here, on the sofa, but he knew that he didn't want to leave.  Gwyneth seemed like she was asleep and she was in his arms.

        _I think I really **do** love Gwen…_

_        **This creates a problem.**_

****_Only emotionally.___

_        **Oh, and didn't you hear Rick come through the door?**_

  Jack looked up, remembering hearing the front door open and close, there was Rick- standing in the parlor door way.

        "She _is_ a pretty little thing," Rick said, restating himself from when he and Jack first got here.  Jack looked down, seeing how peaceful and beautiful she looked.  He didn't necessarily want that to change.  Ever.

        "Rick…we need to talk," he said in a whisper, trying to remove himself from Gwyneth without waking her up.

****

        Gwyneth was indeed, peaceful.  Nothing more in the entire world could've felt better.  

        **_Except if you knew this spot was permanent_**

****But she was not asleep, on the contrary, she was very much awake but finding that closing her eyes made things…peaceful. The way things were going; this had to be her best day in a long time.  Jack had returned to the scarf around his forehead, an improvement in her mind, they both knew how they felt for each other and now this was just perfect.

        Gwyneth's 'perfect' state of mind started to waver when Jack carefully got up.  She moaned quietly but stayed put, hearing what Jack had said about talking to Rick. _If they need privacy then they'll leave…no big deal._  She heard him walk over to Rick, and open her eyes a little to see if they were leaving or not.  They weren't.  She sighed and closed her eyes again.  A smile graced her lips when she thought about what Jack had told her.  _Now all we need to work with is that wardrobe of his.  But at least he's got his scarf and boots. I wonder where his hat is…_

        She paused, hearing little bits and pieces of what Jack was saying.  His tone of voice was harsh, mad almost.  _How could he get mad so quickly?_  She tried to shake off the strange feeling that something was wrong, but she couldn't.  She opened her eyes, hoping one of them noticed that she was awake and stopped talking.

**** 

        "What's wrong?" Rick asked, as Jack finally detached himself from Gwyneth.  He heard her make a small noise, but ignored it.  He walked over to Rick and led him towards the door.  He looked back at Gwyneth, her eyes still closed and he said, "Look, this bet thing has taken an interesting turn."

        "What kind of turn?"

        Jack sighed, he didn't want to admit this to Rick.  He couldn't even believe that he was backing down form this bet, but he now realized that it was wrong to do this and now was better than never.  "Rick, I just can't do this.  Call it off."

        "Call it off?!" he said, half laughing, "Why would I do something like that when you haven't given me a good reason to do so?"

        "Rick, just trust me on this."

        He rolled his eyes, "You know I trust you, but this bet, I'm taking a little more seriously."

        "It's a bet!" Jack said a little too loud, noticing that Rick focused on something else, behind him, "You bet me fifteen pounds to see if Gwen would admit she loved me in a fortnight!  What kind of person makes that kind of bet?!  There was no real good reason to do so!"

        Rick swallowed, "Yes, I must agree now that a fool does that…but an even bigger fool talks about the bet when the person he's betting on…isn't sleeping."

        It seemed as though Jack heart stopped beating.  _Gwen isn't asleep?  Meaning she just heard everything I just said?_  He closed his eyes, slightly shaking his head, _this can't be happening.  I was trying to call **off** the bet…no…no.  _He opened his eyes and slowly turned.  Gwyneth was sitting on the couch with a look on her face that Jack couldn't exactly read.  

        She laughed nervously, getting up, "This is a play…right?"

        Rick looked to his side where Jack stood to Gwyneth, "It was never anything against…you, luv."

        Gwyneth's eyes widened as she looked from Rick to Jack.  The look on both their faces told her that Rick was telling the truth.  She tried to control the rush of tears that were threatening to pour, "Rick, can you excuse us?"

        "Uh…sure…"  Gwyneth and Jack kept eye contact while he left the room and shut the door behind him.  The first thing she did was slap him across the face.  Jack winced as the throbbing continued even after her hand left his cheek.  _If I have ever deserved a slap, that was the one time._

        "Well I hope you get your _money._" She spat at him.  She started to leave, but Jack grabbed on to her arm, "Let go of me," she hissed.

        "Let me explain!"

        "Explain?!  I know the scenario!  He bet you, you were most likely drunk and the money sounded more interesting and more important than my feelings!" she yelled, tears streaming down her face, "And even with your strange hair and clothes, I thought you had changed!  But you had us all fooled, didn't you?!  You're still a bloody pirate with a black heart!"

        Jack felt like he had been kicked in the stomach, she couldn't be saying all this, could she?  She freed her arm and said with one last sob, "Thank you _so_ much for curing me of my absurd fascination with love!"

****

        Gwyneth had somehow managed to collect herself enough to get through the door, past Caitlin and Rebecca and into the parlor where Faith was before breaking down again.  Through labored breathing and sobs, Gwyneth got the gist out to her sister and confessed that she truly loved Jack, and then told Faith what he had told her.  From then on, Gwyneth just cried, long, heart wrenching sobs.  She hoped the kids wouldn't come in and bother her, she wasn't in the mood to do anything but cry.

        Trevor got home from work a little before dinner was supposed to be ready.  Brenda was outside with Suzette and they came in together.  The minute she and Trevor walked in the door they heard the sobbing from one of the rooms.  Jonathan and Mark had a solemn face on, they were standing across the hall from the room.  Brenda peaked her head into the door, wondering which one of the girls had gotten hurt.  

        The image that Brenda saw made her sick to her stomach.  The sobbing wasn't coming from Rebecca or Caitlin because of a skinned knee or something inconsequential, but from a grown woman.  The sobs echoing through the house were coming from Gwen.

        Trevor peaked his head in above Brenda's and quickly looked away, the sound alone was heart wrenching, but the sight made you want to cry.  He lined up next to his brother and sighed.  Brenda, however, she stayed, taking in the sight with sadness and almost curiosity.  

        Gwyneth was in the arms of Faith, who was rocking her gently, rubbing her back and pushing hair out of Gwyneth's face.  The calming was doing nothing to Gwyneth though.  Whatever had happened hit Gwyneth hard.  And Brenda wanted to know what could hurt Gwyneth that much, although she already had a good idea.  

****

Rick came wondered back into the room Jack was in.  He was hunched over and sitting on the couch.  He wasn't moving or saying anything or cursing.  Jack picked up his head when he heard Rick come in.  "I saw her leave…"

Jack nodded. 

Rick shook his head, "Hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn,"

          Jack eyed him, "Which could've been prevented if you hadn't bet me!"

        "You're the one who took the bet…" when Jack just dropped his head in response Rick asked, "So does this mean that she _does _love you?"

Jack paused, _the bet, that's right…fifteen pounds or Gwen's heart and I chose the fifteen pounds…_ Jack shook his head slightly, feeling like killing himself, _I'm such a horrible person…_  He sighed and dug into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper he was keeping just in case this happened.  He threw it on the floor next to Rick.  In rough handwriting it had, 'I owe you fifteen pounds'.

Rick paused, picked up the paper and cursed under his breath for his friend, but trying to lighten the mood he remarked, "Ah, it's better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all, right Jack?"

        Jack turned his head and met Rick's gaze, he narrowed his eyes, "Try it some time."

        Rick paused, seeing Jack was clearly angry.  _There's no reason for him to be angry unless…_ he paused, seeing both his and Jack's mistake in this whole thing, _unless Jack fell in love.  _"Jack…I know I asked if she loves you…but is it possible that you also love her, and that's why you wanted to call the bet off?"

        "No." Jack answered quickly.  

        Rick sat back in his chair, "You know, it's hard to believe that a man is tellin' the truth when you know that you would lie if you were in his place."

        "If you already knew the answer then why ask me?"

        "Why didn't you tell me?!"

        "And have you consider me a coward to back out of a stupid little bet we both made when drunk?  I don't think so."

****

        That night during dinner, Gwyneth stayed up in her room.  Faith had informed the table that Gwyneth had gone through something dramatic and didn't want to be bothered.  Not for any length of time, that is.  The kids protested, especially the two younger girls, but their father agreed with his wife.  Gwyneth didn't need to be around them at this delicate time.

        Brenda kept quiet through out dinner.  _I'm not one of their children, so technically I don't have to follow their orders…right?_  She looked at Trevor, _On the other hand, I should do what Edward and Faith says anyhow.  Just to stay on their good side.  I'll ask them privately if I can talk to her tomorrow.  _She sighed, and kept eating.  

        Half way through dinner Jacque came through, holding a covered platter.  Except he didn't set it on the table, he headed for the stairs.  "Jacque…" Edward called, "What are you doing?"

        "Ms. Gwyneth asked me to bring her a piece of chocolate pie, sir, and that's exactly what I'm doing."

        He nodded, "Fine.  Bring her whatever she wants, will you, Jacque?"

        "Yes sir," he answered and continued up the stairs.  Edward turned around, shaking his head slightly, but said nothing.

        "Daddy, can we make Aunt Gwyneth something to make her feel better?"

        He smiled at his littlest, "What were you thinking of, Rebecca?"

        "Something chocolate." She answered. The rest of the children smirked but looked at their father for an answer.

        "I think that would be okay.  Have cook help you make a…cake.  And you know how much your aunt likes Chocolate, and since we don't have a lot of it, I'm sure you can use what we have on your aunt."

        The children beamed, glad they could experiment in the kitchen and cheer their aunt up at the same time.  Brenda sighed, thinking she would rather chase down a wild boar than join in with _that_ activity, but when Rebecca stared up at her with her big green eyes, and asked Brenda if she wanted to help, Brenda couldn't help but say yes.  

****

        Dinner at the Turner's, however, was a little different.  Jack did attend the dinner, he did talk to the family but didn't say a word about Gwyneth.  Elizabeth went on and on about her birthday was wonderful and thanked everyone for doing such a thing for her.  Jack wanted to put in that he and Rick didn't do anything, but why spoil her happiness?  

        After dinner Elizabeth and Will both approached Jack, noticing that he seemed a little off at dinner.  "Why don't you ask Rick?" Jack said, turning and going towards the door.

        "Where are you going?" Elizabeth called after him.

        "To the tavern.  I need a drink!"

        When he slammed the door, Will looked at his wife, "I thought he didn't drink…"

        Rick explained everything when Will and Elizabeth cornered him.  He told them all about the bet, and when Gwyneth found out and how Jack was in love with her and she wasn't in love with him.  Elizabeth gave Rick a firm tongue lashing quickly enough about making bets on women's hearts.

        "Do you think that's true?" Will asked when they were out on the porch.

        "What?"

        "That Gwyneth wasn't feeling the same thing as Jack…that she truly wasn't returning his feelings."

        Elizabeth sighed and shrugged, "Rick said Jack told him she didn't.  Why would Jack lie?  Because according to their bet, if she _did_ love him, Jack would've gained the fifteen pounds."

        "Fifteen pounds is a lot of money…" Will said, thinking about it, "Jack must've been telling the truth."

        After a pause she said, "You should go talk to him, Will, you really should."

        Will sighed heavily, "I don't think he's in the talking mood.  And if he's truly going to get a drink…he'll be drunk when he gets home."

        She nodded, "I'm glad the old Jack is coming back, but it's at an awful inopportune moment, don't you think?"

        Will nodded, "Definitely.  But I'll talk to him tomorrow."

****

        Usually when Jack was distressed he drank and drank.  When the distress affected him…emotionally, such as if it has something to do with Brenda or when Gibbs died, Jack pulled out a bottle of rum, but never actually drank a drop.  Unfortunately, due to his abstinence from rum for quite some time, he was drinking.  A lot.  Which to his chagrin, wasn't helping him at all.

        He felt like someone had ripped his heart out and shot it.  He remembered feeling this when Beverly had left him.  _How could I do something like that?_ He thought to himself as the room slowly turned around him.  He closed his eyes, thinking he better keep his dinner in his stomach.  

        If he had been falling since Gibbs death and Ana Maria's departure, then he had hit rock bottom now.  And the bottom, unfortunately, wasn't a soft place.  A harsh reality should've sobered him up, should've taught him a lesson, about what to do and what not to do.  Of course, that would've worked a lot better if _he_ was sober. 

        _I should try to talk to her…I have to do something…_  He thanked his lucky stars that Gwyneth didn't have a temper like Brenda's (though it was a close second), and that she didn't exercise it regularly, like his adorable daughter. _Oh, Brenda's going to shoot me in the face if she finds out…_ he thought lazily.  He thought about how close Brenda and Gwyneth had gotten.  He remembered how his daughter and the woman had an instant connection, even those fourteen years ago.

        _And now, they've had a lot more time to develop their relationship…she would've been a great mother._

        He sighed, this wasn't helping.  He felt a lump forming in his throat, washing it down with a swig of rum, he tried standing up.  If he could stand up, then he could walk which meant he could get to Will and Elizabeth's house.  He grabbed his forehead, _Elizabeth__'s going to shoot me in the face when she finds out…oh bloody me._  It was going to be a long walk home.

****

        Gwyneth wasn't sure why, but all of the sudden Caitlin and Rebecca had taken a certain liking to her and her bed.  They had come in during the night, eyes barely open, mumbling something of an apology and then climbed into the bed, one girl on each side of Gwyneth.  

        They hadn't really disrupted anything.  She wasn't sleeping.  She wasn't crying.  She wasn't thinking.  She was just staring out her window, thinking about nothing in particular, even with the current situation she was in.  But when the girls had settled into the bed, Gwyneth started thinking.  

        _Why do these thoughts have to come **now**? _She thought as she tried to push down the tears forming in her eyes.  It wasn't really working all that well.  _I thought all my tears were gone…_ she said, thinking of that afternoon with Faith.  She sighed and tried to push the thought of children out of her head.

        _I really did think I was content with Edward and Faith's children…I told myself over and over that I was fine.  And for a while I believed myself.  But at times like this, I wish I had children of my own.  Children that I had sweat over for nine months and then loved them for all they were worth. _

She sniffed.  _And the most horrible thing was, after Nathan died, I actually considered Jack to be a good father for my hypothetical children!_  She frowned, thinking about this afternoon and what had gone on.  __

_        **You love him.**_

****_I know!  That's the horrible part!  I thought after Nathan it was going to be it!  I was going to meet a nice man, get married, have kids…do the good society thing!  _She started to pout, tears making their way down her face.  She wiped them away angrily.  _But I had to fall for **Captain** Jack Sparrow!  _She took in a deep breath, trying to control herself, not wanting to wake the little beauties by her.

        "I just don't have any luck with men…" she whispered into the darkness.  She remembered how she felt when she saw Nathan dead, with a puddle of blood around him.  Pain seemed to serge from every part of her body to attack her heart.  Oddly enough, what she felt when she realized Jack had been lying to her all this time was a similar emotion.  Except she not only was miserable and angry, this time she was miserable, angry and felt like dying.  She had kept up this obsession with Jack for more than fourteen years.  She had put her heart out on the line, when she didn't even know if the line was sturdy.  The damage he seemed to do, wasn't going to be fixed, not by any man and not anytime soon.  

        The last thing she remembered before she drifted into dream land was seeing her sampler on the wall and thinking how nice it would be to have Jack out of Port Royal.

****

        "Gwen, are you sure you're-"

        "Eddie, please, I'm a grown woman, don't you think I know if I'm okay?"

        Edward shot a look at his wife and nodded, "Of course.  Now, what's this all about?"  Gwyneth had called together Brenda, Trevor, Faith, Edward and herself.  It seemed almost overnight she became totally unemotional.  As if a little bit of emotion came out with each tear she cried the day before, and now her tears were gone, along with her heart.  Brenda exchanged a look with Trevor, both of them also noticing how Gwyneth's usual cheery and full-of-life disposition was gone.  

        "Eddie, let me just put it plainly.  You and Faith don't particularly want Brenda and Trevor…getting involved.  But the most ironic thing happened.  These two individuals who seemed to hate each other…as shown by the knife marks all around the house, well they…they've grown rather attached to each other."

        Edward took in a deep breath, he expected this, but he was wondering why Brenda and Trevor were in here.  If Gwyneth ever talked to himself and Faith, the children were never there.  What was so different about this situation?  "Go on."

        "Well to say the least, Faith and I found Brenda and Trevor in a rather…interesting situation.  They had obviously fallen asleep in front of the fire…together.  And hadn't woken up until Faith made her presence known by a shrill yell."

        Edward's mouth dropped a little, looking at the two young adults on the couch in front of him.  "Now, I know how you like to deal with… well people who upset you, so I told Brenda that I will stick by her.  If you throw her out, then you'll throw me out.  It was an honest mistake Eddie, and they're just children after all."

        "Yes, but Trevor has a reputation to uphold!"

        "Eddie, what kind of person will take a reputation of a seventeen year old seriously?  If this incident doesn't go beyond the four walls of our house, then what harm will it do?"

        Edward paused, seeing her point.  A question popped into his head, but he was a little hesitant to ask it.  She hadn't cracked a smile or frowned during this conversation.  It was a dead-pan look during the whole thing. _Kinda reminds me of the Commodore when he's dealing with a prisoner…_ "Well Gwen…what about Brenda's father?  Is someone going to tell him?"

        Gwyneth's spine straightened, "Brenda can tell him if she so desires.  But we do still want Trevor to live to his eighteenth birthday."

        Brenda smiled, seeing her father going after Trevor with a pistol.  "And it's not like I slept with him or anything…" Brenda said.  All heads turned towards her.  She thought of it as something of a joke, she swallowed.  The look on Faith and Edward weren't humorous.  

        Gwyneth took in a small breath, "Yes, thank you Brenda."  She turned towards her brother, "So?  What have you decided?"

        He looked at the people-in-question and sighed, "Just make sure you don't spend _too_ much time together…okay?"

        Gwyneth raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised that her brother was taking this a lot better than she had planned.  Brenda promised, as did Trevor and they both ran out of the room.  Gwyneth watched them go and commented, "Well at least they won't be riding Pearl…she doesn't really like the rain."

        "Gwyneth…listen, I don't know all the facts but-"

        Gwyneth held up her hand, stopping him from continuing, "Eddie, the last thing in the world I want from you is pity."  She paused, "Now, if you excuse me, I've done my duty…I didn't get much sleep last night, so if you both excuse me…"

        "Gwyneth, can't we just talk about it?" Faith asked, as Gwyneth brushed past the couple.  

        She stopped, but refused to turn around, "I don't want to talk about it.  Not with you, not with Brenda and certainly not with him." she paused before going back up the stairs with her head high.

****

        Jack didn't come out of the drawing room until early afternoon.  His hang over from the night before was somewhat gone.  The first person he looked for was Rick, finding him gone he went looking for Will.  "Will!" he called.  A few minutes later, Will appeared at the bottom of the stairs, "You called?"

        Jack turned around, "Where's Rick?  Surely, he's not outside…it's pouring."  Will looked out the nearest windows, he rubbed the back of his neck, this had to be the worst weather the Caribbean has had in quite some time.  

        "It reminds me of England almost." Jack commented.

        "You lived in England?" Will asked, turning back around.

        "Oh yea!  Born and raised!"

        "Jack…" Will said, sighing, "Rick told me everything.  I heard you come in late last night…are you alright?"

        Jack didn't want to talk about this, he didn't want to think about his mistake. _My mistake.__  All mine._  "Will, you can understand not wanting to think about mistakes, right?"

        Will nodded.  Jack nodded back, "Well then you will understand if I don't want to talk about it."  Jack sighed and went over and sat down in the front room.  Will, not sure what to do, followed him.  Will sighed, not sure what to say, Jack was obviously hurting and he wasn't sure if there was anything to say.  He gingerly put his hand on Jack's back, which caused Jack to say, "They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them, but then an entire life to forget them…"

        "You love her?"

        Jack nodded.

        "They also say that love is not blind - it sees more, not less. But because it sees more, it is willing to see less."

        Jack snorted, "Ha!  They obviously weren't talking about women."

        "You may have done something…you regretted, but don't you think she'll forgive you?"

        "If you saw in her eyes what I saw then you'd know she's not up for forgiving me."

        Will didn't respond but removed his hand and Jack lifted his head and sighed, "But she was my favorite mistake."

        "Was?"

        He smirked, "Is."

___________________________

**A/N2: Sadly enough this is coming to an end…I only have about three more chapters…but the ending of this story is up to you…my characters are getting old.  Jack is in his early fifties…Gwen, Will and Liz are late thirties-early forties…****do you want another story to continue this one?****  Please respond to this one question if you respond to nothing else.**

**Author Thanks:**

**          Albe-Chan: wow, you along with everyone else loved that last chapter…I just hope you all loved this chapter.**

**          Dawnie-7: I need to learn how to keep a memory in my head…I told Piper8188 that I loved her one shot on Mort Rainy, thankfully she corrected me, I went back and saw that it was _your_ story.  I'm sorry.  But I absolutely loved that one shot.  It was a tad on the strange side, but Mort isn't exactly a sane person…I think you captured him perfectly.  Did I ever review for that one?  If I didn't, tell me and I will.  Well soon the whole outfit will be back…except for the hat…hmmm**

**          Emma436: darling, I love you to death for sending me that long review.  It was fun to read!  Omg…you're so…exuberant about this story!  I love it!  But it's kinda freaky how right you are on one of you ideas…I'm not going to tell you which one because you'll find out next chapter…but it's REALLY FREAKY!  It's like you're in my mind!  Jeez.  But I'm glad you liked that chapter…did you like this chapter?  I'm so scared that everyone is going to hate me.  But I know that drama makes a story…and if this isn't drama, then I don't know what is.  **

**          Piper8188:  Well Sorry about the mix up…you'll have to tell me about your story, whenever you do get finished with it. You were really that surprised by the slap?  That's funny…lol.  The bet was for Gwen to say 'I love you' to Jack in a certain amount of weeks…two-three weeks.  ****If she told Jack that then Jack would win the money****.****  But if she didn't tell Jack that, then Rick would win the money…**

**          Vicki Turner: Oh me too honey…I'm a hopeless romantic.**

**          ThePinkPanther: Yes, the society of the world is a wicked thing isn't it?  I don't really agree with it at all.  Oh!  Was this chapter 'big' enough for you?**

**          Lord-of-all-the-Cheesesticks: Interesting name…I'm glad you decided to review!  I always love hearing from new people…I'm glad you like this story and my writing styles…am I to assume you've read 'There's Your Trouble' then?  I have a #1 fan?  Right on!**


	18. All Because of This

**Author's note: okay, there's mention of a tiny island called "Rum Cay" and it's described as off the coast of Jamaica…when in reality, it's mixed in with the Bahamas…so don't shoot me…I needed a small island near Port Royal, but I couldn't find any in my atlas…so just ignore that it's wrong, and remember, I warned you ahead of time.**

**________________**

       "I hope this works…" Mark said as he put the last finishing touches on Gwyneth's cake.  It had been about a week since she had come home crying from Jack, and the family practically walked on eggs when around her.  She had kept the unemotional nature, staying in her room except when she came down for meals and then when she went to brush Pearl after dinner.  All of them knew to leave her alone.

        "I just hope this will get her to react…in _any_ way." Caitlin added, watching her brother.  She and Rebecca had gone in during the night that one night to make their aunt feel loved.  But, when they tried the next night, the door was locked.  Gwyneth seemed to have locked it every night after she went in after brushing Pearl.  The children wondered if she locked it any other time during the day, but none of them were brave enough to try.

        Except for Brenda.

        She had gone in a couple days ago, trying to get a reaction out of her, but she got nothing.  Gwyneth asked her to walk Suzette and to take care of her for the time being.  "You understand of course, don't you?" Gwyneth had said, not explaining _what_ Brenda should understand.  But she obeyed.  Suzette slept with Brenda at nights, but during the day whimpered at Gwyneth's door.  _She even locked her puppy out of her life…_ Brenda thought sadly, who oddly enough had gotten attached to the little pup.  

        This whole situation was frustrating and depressing Brenda at the same time.  She wanted Gwyneth to cheer up already!  "Yes, but if you think about it, Aunt Gwyneth has been through a lot…" Jonathan commented.  

        That caught Brenda's attention.  She had been staring out the windows, looking at the rain.  It was only the second time the rain had come, but for the Caribbean, two times in two weeks, wasn't very common.  "What do you mean?"

        Jonathan looked up, "Well, surely you must know…she was on her way to getting married when he got murdered.  Elizabeth Turner's brother in fact.  Well the ship she was on was attacked by pirates…killed her husband-to-be.  Then on the way for revenge…she ran into your father."

        Brenda paused and thought about this new information.  _That's must've been when she stayed with us…_ Brenda thought about what she must've went through, her love dying right before they were to be married.  "That must've been horrible…"

        "Yes, well she obviously fell for the wrong guy." Trevor said, looking at Brenda.

        Brenda grimaced.  How embarrassing.  Usually her father's name brought pride to her heart and fear into other's hearts.  Now it just brought her shame.  She was having a hard time feeling sorry for her father.  She had gone to see him the day before and had talked to him about Gwyneth, not telling him how she was acting.     Brenda of course was surprised to see her father acting like a love-sick puppy.  He stunk in general, his clothes were filthy, and either he was growing a full beard or refused to shave.  He had dark circles under each eye and didn't say more than five words for an answer or question.  Pitiful was the first word that came to her mind when she thought of him.

        "We ready?" Mark asked, looking around.  

        "Yea!  Let's bring plates and forks just in case she wants to share!" Rebecca said.  They half laughed, knowing Gwyneth might just sit it on her vanity and let it rot.  But they let the little girl do so, her older sister carrying the plates and herself carrying the silver.  

        Trevor sighed, and led the way, Brenda followed, then Jonathan, then Mark with the cake and so on.  They went up stairs in this little procession and finally reached her door.  Trevor took a deep breath and knocked.  There was no answer.  Trevor frowned and jiggled the handle.  Locked.

        "She locked it." He told everyone.  Brenda rolled her eyes and pulled something out of her hair.  A loose hairpin was her tool to try to pick Gwyneth's lock.  She growled when she noticed that there was no hole for a key on the outside of the door.  She relayed the message down.  

        "What are we supposed to do?" Caitlin asked, "It's not like we can slide this thing under the door!"

        Brenda agreed.  She looked down, hearing Suzie whimpering.  Brenda suddenly came up with an idea.  "Trevor, get Suzie and tell everyone to back away from the door."

        He obeyed but said, "What are you going to do?"

        She ignored the question, thinking it would be obvious soon enough, "Are you sure your parents aren't home?"

        "I'm positive…Brenda…don't do something stupid please." 

        She turned, looking at him, "You sound like my father…" she pulled out one of the many pistols she had on her.  

        Trevor rolled his eyes, "Brenda…I'm serious…"

        "Do you have a better way?"

        "She's going to kill us!"

        "Locks can be fixed…and let's just call this a pay back for the way she's been acting."

        Everyone held their breath while Brenda took a deep breath, hoping her aim would be perfect today.  She cocked the gun and slowly pulled the trigger.  Brenda watched as the door lazily swung open and there was Gwyneth's distraught face.  Brenda tucked her gun away and swallowed, ready to face this woman's wrath.

        Gwyneth calmly looked at her door and then at each of the children.  "And what do I owe this…surprise?"

        Brenda's mouth dropped at her response.  _So calm, so controlled…_ "What the blast is wrong with you, woman?!" she yelled through the house, "I'm more upset over the stupid lock than you are!  Doesn't that seem a tab bit _wrong_ to you?"

        "Locks can be fixed, right Brenda?"

        _It's almost as if this woman is **trying **to infuriate me!_  "Yes of course bloody locks can be fixed!  But can you?!"

        Everyone paused, Gwyneth raised an eyebrow and Brenda crossed her arms, wanting some kind of response out of her.  _Any _kind of response that was more than a calm and cool-headed response.  "I'm sure you'll be happy to fix my lock then?"

        Brenda sneered, "You can fix it yourself." _Along with your cold heart,_ "But maybe if you had just opened the door…"

        "There was no reason to."

        Brenda stared, moved aside from the cake, plates and silver that had been left.  Both the girls were probably in their room, Mark, Jonathan and Trevor stayed however, half angry half depressed.  Gwyneth looked at the cake and the left silver and sighed.  Her figure faulted, her shoulders sagged and her face drooped.  This touch of kindness was obviously what she needed, even if Brenda thought she needed a slap in the face.  

        She went to Trevor and kissed his face, making him giggle a little.  Next she went to Jonathan, doing the same thing, kissing each glass spectacle on his face and then to Mark.  She hugged all three of them and whispered something.  Mark picked up the cake, Jonathan the silver and followed Gwyneth into the barged girls' room.  

        Trevor looked at Brenda, who was reloading her pistol.  "You coming?"

        Brenda kept her eyes on her weapon, "I don't think so…This was really a family thing to begin with…I'll just be in the way."

        "But you got her out here…you got her to realize what she was doing…she's going to be okay because of you."

        Brenda sighed, looking down onto the lower part of the house, "Yes, but whether I did that or not, this is obviously still a family deal…" she tried to hold the rush of emotions that were threatening to burst out of her, "And I…I'm not part of her family."  She started to walk down the stairs, wanting to get out of the house as soon as possible.

        "And you think having a pity party for yourself will help?!" he called down to her.  

        She stopped, turned on her heel and looked at him, "Just consider me blowin' her lock off, a…benefit to the community." 

        "Where are you going?" he tried again, after she had reached the floor and was headed towards the side door that lead to the stable. 

        "It's a nice day out, I'm going to enjoy it," she answered and then quickly left before he could say anything more.  He sighed and looked out the bay windows, it was still pouring rain.  

**** 

        "I don't want to talk to you!"        

        Rick sighed, "Are you gunna hold this thing against me for the rest of yer life?"

        "It's possible!" Jack called over his shoulder.

        "Jack I wrote her."

        Jack stopped dead in his tracks.  There was only three "hers" he could be talking about.  Gwyneth, Brenda or the _Pearl__._  Rick had come into the house saying that there was something important he needed to talk to Jack about.  Jack wasn't in the mood to talk to him again, although he wasn't going to end their friendship over this.  He still had the little hope that he might be able to talk some since into Gwyneth.

        For the past week, Jack had had nightmares about Gwyneth and the past that they both shared.  He dreamed about when she got stabbed over and over.  He dreamed about when she and Brenda were in danger in the galley with the Spanish man.  But the thing that had been plaguing him for days on end were the three words he had told Gwyneth when she got stabbed, **stay with me, just stay with me Gwen. **

"Who did you write, exactly?" Jack asked, turning around.

        Rick sighed, "The _Black __Pearl__._  I thought I should tell you."

        "Why even tell me in the first place?"

        "Because I got a reply back."

        Jack paused, "Why would you write them?"

        "I thought that after the way you've been hurt…that you would need a refuge free of the Commodore and Captain Briscoe…"

        Jack looked out the windows, the ocean was in sight, and it wasn't a pretty thing.  Jack grimaced, _oh yea, that's all I need right now._  He looked back at Rick, "What did they say?"

        "They said they'll be here tomorrow."

        Jack narrowed his eyes, _they must've been bloody close to __Port Royal__ then.  _"Where were they?"

        "Off the west coast…tiny island…somewhere called Rum Cay."

        "And they're going to be here…tomorrow, you say?"

        "Aye.  You going?"

        Jack sighed, was he going to go? That was a question that needed to be thought out, that needed to be carefully thought about.  _I need to tell Brenda. _Jack thought to himself, thinking of how much Brenda had yearned to go home.  He looked at Rick, "What about you?"

        He shrugged, "I've caused enough trouble…I'm catchin' the next cargo ship off this island.  Back to _my_ home.  You're welcome to come along…but I figured you'd have other plans."

        Jack nodded, "We'll see if I do or not…but in the mean time…I don't think I'll go with you."

        Rick slowly nodded, "I understand mate."

        Jack looked away, "Good."

**** 

        "You know, the other brush is better."

        Brenda paused, recognizing the voice behind her, "You want me to fix that too?"

        She heard footsteps come closer, but kept her face towards the black beast.  "I was thinking we could fix the lock…together.  I'm sure you're better at fixing things than I am."

        Brenda backed away from the horse, seeing Gwyneth's soft hand touch the animal.  "I wouldn't want to catch frostbite from you."

        Gwyneth sighed, "Brenda, can't you understand that I was going through a rough time?!"

        "So rough that a dogs whimpering couldn't soften that heart of yours?"

        "Why is this affecting you so much?" Gwyneth asked, somewhat changing the topic. 

        Brenda turned around, "Because yer the first woman I've ever gotten close to!"  Gwyneth's face filled with understanding, but Brenda went on, tears brimming, "You _made_ me get close to you!  You taught me that I don't have to be a grown up when my father's taught me the exact opposite my entire life!  But for some strange reason…I believed you.  I trusted you more than anything!  Gwyneth, yer the first mother figure I've ever had…"

        Gwyneth took a step near her and kept going when Brenda didn't move.  "And when you pushed everyone away, including me, I felt like my mother was pushing me away."  Gwyneth reached her and wrapped her arms around her, Brenda quickly falling into the embrace and leaving her pride in the dust.  She had prided herself on be tough and strong, but whenever Gwyneth was around, she was about strong as an egg. 

        "Well, if it makes you feel any better, I've felt like you were the first child that actually belonged to me…" Gwyneth confessed.  "And I'm sorry I pushed you away.  I tried to consider you as everyone else, not as the person who hurt me daughter…I really did.  But I suppose it didn't work, did it?"

        Brenda shook her head.  Gwyneth kissed her head and moved some hair that was getting her face, out of her face.  This is what she had yearned after for fourteen years.  And when she thought of Jack being the father of her child, she considered it ironic that she thought of Jack's daughter as her own.  

        Their brief but meaningful embrace was cut short when Trevor interrupted them, breathless.  "Brenda, Gwyneth…someone's here to see both of you."

****

        "Dad…what are you doing here?" Brenda whispered harshly as she and Gwyneth came into the house with Trevor.  Gwyneth returned to her emotionless demeanor, for the time being and stood back and listened while father and daughter talked.  

        Jack sighed, looking at Gwyneth and then at his daughter, "I have something to tell _both_ of you…" Gwyneth looked up, bit her lip and walked forward.  

        "Shall we go into the drawing room then?" She asked.  Jack sighed and nodded.  She nodded back and led the way.  There, her back facing the two Sparrows, she was free to express her feelings.  _He has his beads back…the braid…the dreads were always there…but the beads, the braid, the scarf, the boots…his rings are back on his fingers and his sash and sword are back around his waist.  _She sighed, if she wasn't so hurt, she would've kissed him.  _All he's missing is his coat and hat…_  All of them sat down and Gwyneth tried to remind herself she needed to act like an adult.  

        Brenda and Gwyneth both waited for Jack to say something.  Of course he was trying to keep his eyes off Gwyneth.  _She really does look good in pale green…that dress looks beautiful on her…_ He sighed, _I'm not going to get through this…_He took in a deep breath and let it out, "Rick has written the_Pearl_…" Jack started off, thinking that was all he needed to say.  He watched Gwyneth's face carefully.  **Stay with me**.  He shook his head slightly, getting rid of that thought.       

        Gwyneth's face slowly contorted from its calm place and her eyes darted to Brenda and then Jack.  When she met his gaze, her green eyes quickly found their place on the floor rug.  Brenda sighed and leaned back, "What's that supposed to mean dad?"

        He paused, "Well, it's up to you and Gwen."

        Brenda looked at Gwyneth and then back at her dad, "Why both of us?"

        "I know you want to leave…but you and Gwen have gotten attached, right?"  Brenda nodded.  "Well," he said, "then you can decide whether to leave or not.  But the _Pearl_will be here tomorrow."

        She paused, "What does that have to do with Gwyneth?"

        He slowly looked up, looking at Gwyneth's eyes that were still staring at the floor, "She can decide whether she wants me to leave and if she wants you to leave."

        Gwyneth's eyes immediately shot up, meeting Jack's gaze.  She bit her lip and Brenda quickly stood up, "I think I heard the girls callin' my name…no doubt wantin' t'hear a story…" when either of them said anything Brenda quickly made her exit, closing the room's door behind her. 

        "What's it gunna be, love?"

        She swallowed, somewhat noticing how he said 'love' a little differently.  She raised an eyebrow, "It doesn't seem like it's my decision, Captain.  It's your ship, your daughter…you decision."

        "Gwen, as much as you might think it's up to me…part of me wants to stay here, unless you give me a reason to stay…" he said, getting up and slowly walking towards her.  

        She quickly got up from the chair she was sitting in and got behind it, to put some distance between them.  "Captain…Jack…I think you've given yourself a reason to not stay."

        He paused, not going to give up so easily, "Gwyneth, do you want me here?"

        She lifted her eyes from the chair seat she was staring at.  She met his dark brown eyes and bit her lip to keep from crying.  She felt so much emotion from just looking in his eyes.  The main two being love and hurt.  She licked her chapped lips, "Jack…what do you expect me to do after what happened?  Kiss you and forgive you right off the bat?  I can't do that without an explanation."

        "I tried to explain, Gwyneth, but you wouldn't let me!"

        "That's because I don't _want_ an explanation for why you did that, I don't want to hear all the excuses you have for agreeing to something like that!  I just can't _deal with it_.  I can't deal with thinking about it, let alone hearing an explanation and excuse for it!"

        "Well then how are you ever going to forgive me?" He asked desperately.

        She paused, looking away, thinking the answer was obvious.  She wasn't going to.  "Jack, how am I ever going to trust you again?"

        "If you forgive me, then you'll build that trust!  I'm willing to help you build that trust!"

        "How?!  If you're leaving on your ship?!"

        "I'm not leaving unless you tell me to!" 

        She paused, looking at him once more, "Jack, you know you can't stay here…"

        "I can try…we can work it out, Gwen…I want you with me…" he said desperately.

        She shook her head, "If you wanted me with you, then you wouldn't have done that to me."

        His mouth slightly dropped, this couldn't be her answer, could it? He thought that it would turn out better than this.  "Gwyneth please," he said, grabbing for her hand but she pulled away, backing up towards the wall, "Gwen, you know that I love you!"

        She shook her head, the candle light reflecting off her eyes, making them shimmer with her tears, "I don't know that Jack, and I'm not ever going to know that."  She swallowed the lump in her throat, "Just leave…it's better for everyone that way…just leave."

        **Just stay with me**.  Those three words rang throughout Jack's entire being, **Just stay with me.**  He couldn't force her to do anything though.  He had come here asking an honest question, hoping to get an honest answer, and he did.  He nodded once and slowly walked towards the door to the room, hoping she would call him back.  She didn't.

        Then he walked through the house, meeting Brenda and telling her to get her trunk ready for tomorrow, they were leaving.  Jack sighed and straightened his back and held his head high as he exited the Johnson house, even though he felt like keeling over and dying.

**** 

        That night at dinner, Jack told everyone he was leaving the next day.  He tried as hard as he could to shake off the feeling he had.  The feeling of despair and of something not fitting.  So he slapped on a smile and joked around with Rick and the kids, all the while, trying to ignore the look he was getting from Elizabeth.  He needed to get back into his _Captain Jack Sparrow_ shoes, get that edge and that sarcasm.  Now was not the time to be crying over lost love.  

        _It happens all the time…no big deal._

_        **It doesn't happen all the time to you!**_

Jack shook his head, thinking that either way, he need to get back into character, so to speak.  After dinner he made his way to Will and Elizabeth before they approached him, "Are you sure about this?" Elizabeth asked.

        Jack nodded, "Aye…I've never been on land this long, and though I have enjoyed it, I don't want to stay on Port Royal."  He shrugged, "I have no reason to stay."

        Elizabeth was about to say something but Will stopped her by putting his arm around her and saying, "What time are you expecting to get out tomorrow?"

        "Early.  I have to go pick up Brenda from the Johnson's…Rick said the _Pearl_ should be here a little after sunrise.  I don't want to keep them waiting…"

        "Well how about this, when I go to work tomorrow, I'll take the carriage, you and I will go get Brenda and then I'll drop you off at the cove…where I'm assuming the _Pearl_ will be anchored…and then you'll be on your way.  I'll be a little late to work, but I can afford it." He said with a shrug.

        Jack smiled, "I'd like that.  

**** 

        "Brenda, stop giving me those eyes…"

        "Well I can't help it!  I want to leave more than anything…yet I want to stay.  I've never been on land more than a few days…and well I got bloody attached!"

        Gwyneth nodded, "It's understandable."

        "Why do land and sea have to be so different but both have such wonderful qualities?"

        "When you figure that out, tell me."  Brenda rolled her eyes and kept packing.  Not like she had a lot to pack.  A few pants and shirts that Gwyneth had bought and then her corset that she had only worn once, but might come in handy sooner or later.  Caitlin and Rebecca had drawn some interesting pictures for her from the past week and Brenda tucked them away also, knowing they would make a nice addition to her desk along with maps of the Caribbean.

        Brenda sighed, trying not to blame Gwyneth for all this.  _But if she had just said yes to dad…I would be here._

_        **Yes, but you probably leave without your father again.**_****

Brenda stopped and stared at the women sitting on the bed, with an elegant dress on, her hair done up perfectly and her posture near perfect.  A silly though crossed Brenda's mind and came out her lips, "You could learn to wear pants…right?"

        Gwyneth stared at her and shook her head slightly.  "I have been known to wear pants…and on the _Pearl_in fact, but there's no way Brenda…"

        She sighed, "It's not fair.  I just realized that I _do_ have a soft side, and I can open up to a woman who I admire and trust in everyway…and consider a mother…and I have to leave."

        Gwyneth was going to say they could write each other, but then the thought of Brenda's reading disability came to mind.  "We'll see each other soon…"

        Brenda looked at her and nodded even though deep down, she knew this was the last time she was going to see Gwyneth.  If she and Jack had made up, Brenda might've had hope for the future, but the future looked grim.  No, this was the last time the Sparrows were going to see Port Royal and the people who inhabited it.

****

        Gwyneth's dreams that night were anything but peaceful and calm.  Visions of her and Jack's first meeting fluttered into her dreams, forcing her to go through it without waking up.

        **Will smiled, "Gwyneth…you're _on_ the _Black _****_Pearl_****_._****" **

**          Gwyneth's eyes widened and she met Jack's eyes.  "Then that means you're Captain Jack Sparrow." ** Her first encounter with the pirate captain was more or less pleasant.  Her dream went through the memory at the slowest speed almost.  Her sub-consciousness making sure it went over each detail of the memory.  

        Then the dream skipped to a memory of her coming home for the last time, the talk her and Faith had had, about how Jack had captured Gwyneth's heart so quickly.  **"Gwen, I noticed something the last time you came back…a certain _air_ about you.  Could it have been a certain Captain?"**  Faith talking to her seemed so real, like it was in the present.  But when Gwyneth sat up straight in her bed with a cold sweat, the memories dispersed in the air almost.

        She took in a deep breath to contain her rush of tears.  _I've done the right thing…there's nothing else left to do.  I did the right thing…making him go to his ship…yes, the right thing._  She sighed and lay back down, hoping to get some more rest before daybreak.

        The next morning Gwyneth woke up early, with mixed thoughts about having the two Sparrows leave.  She knew she didn't want Brenda to leave, but Jack?  She wasn't sure.  She would figure it out soon if it meant they both would stay.  She ran out of her room, hoping to catch Brenda before she even woke up, to talk to her and to tell her she didn't want her to leave and she would try talking to her father, if it meant she would stay.  

        But when Gwyneth turned Brenda's door handle and the door swung open, Gwyneth was met with the sight of a neatly made bed, an open window with flowing curtains but no signs that Brenda was here, and more importantly, no Brenda.

_________________

**A/N2: Okay!  So some of you have decided that you would like to see a third story, preferably revolving around Brenda and Trevor.  Some of you have said that this is story is fine now, but if another story came up, you'd read it.  And others have said they'll wait to see how this ends…the trouble is, I was going to base the ending chapter on your responses!  But I have decided…knowing the PotC2 won't be coming out until next year…I will keep myself busy by writing another story.  I will give you details later…**

**Author Thanks:**

**          ThePinkPanther**

**          Dragonflygirl**

**          Bitty-Buffy: Uh…you do know that Rythmteck is my sister, right?  Because if you didn't, that's really ironic.  I'm glad you're back and reviewing.**

**          Dragon Girl Revlis: HEY!  New reviewer!  Yesh!  Have you been reading this whole time?  And obviously you read the last story…did you review for it?  Your name sounds familiar.  **

**          Albe-Chan: heh…dash of excitement…I like that.**

**          Vicki Turner**

**          Piper8188: That is weird that it's your favorite quote…No, I just found a bunch of quotes off people's IM profiles…and then I went to this one website with a bunch of quotes done by famous people…and yea. **

**          Emma436: YOU ARE INSANE.  I love it tho.  Lol.  You're reviews are hilarious.  When are you going to update your story?  I know your beta reader is back so…yea!  Oh!  This is the chapter where you predicted Jack leaving!  Can you believe how freaky that is?  I mean, when you wrote that in a review, I hadn't even written this chapter yet!  It freaked me out big time.  But oh well.  Did any of your other theories come true in this chapter?  Let me know if they did…and then we can talk about how scary that is…lol.  Oh, and Brenda Trevor thing…close…but no.  It's a good idea though- it just never entered my brain.  The very last chapter I think…yea, the last chapter I'm going to have some drama between Brenda and Trevor.  Since the drama thing with Gwen and Jack, I've kinda blocked out their "love fest" or romance, so I need to put that in… And of course I feel special, I absolutely LOVE hearing your thoughts and ideas.  Nice work.**

**          Dawnie-7:  Tears?  Oh…how cool!  Well, I think I finally reviewed for the one shot, so yea…and I have a question, will you read my story if I continue on with it? *puppy-dog eyes***


	19. Incomplete

**Author's Note: *sniff* second to last chapters, folks.  I have Spanish homework calling my name from inside my backpack…but for the time being I'm going to ignore it…  FYI- remember, Brenda left with her father…Jack.  So that's where she is to everyone who asked.**

___________________

        The crew of the _Black Pearl_ got out of Port Royal quicker than you could say 'shiver me timbers', with their captain at the wheel, looking happy enough.  Brenda had fallen flat on her back once when the ship got out in the big waves, but luckily enough she was in her cabin where no one could see her.  _Jeez Sparrow, you haven't even been on land that long and you already forget to adjust your gait to the waves…_ she scolded herself.  She sighed and got up.  She looked at her bed, thinking it wasn't going to be like the one at the Johnson's.  And even though her bed was bigger than everyone else's on the ship, she knew it wouldn't feel the same.

        She had put the two pictures that Rebecca and Caitlin in a wooden, furnished box that she had gotten from her father some odd years ago, deciding against putting them on her desk.  _They would get lost too easily._ She thought to herself, _and if someone found them, I wouldn't want them to think me soft…_ she sighed; knowing reputation was everything to a Sparrow.  She slid the box back underneath her bed, where she kept her silly little treasures and sighed.  

        She left her cabin and went up to her father, who still hadn't recovered his hat that was in his cabin, where he had left it so long ago.  "Where are we off to, Captain?"

        "Tortuga.  I need to find some more crew members to replace Ana and Gibbs."

        Brenda frowned, she hated Tortuga.  She got hit on too many times to remember and hit too many men to count.  Her right hook was better than anyone's on the ship, but she didn't really want to practice that on drunken men.  She would rather practice on someone who deserved it.  That reminded her, "How's that bruise?" she said, looking at her father's face.

        He grimaced, "Fading fast…and yer lucky it is.  I would've really gotten it if my crew knew you gave me a bruise."

        She smirked, "It's not like it hasn't happened before…"

        He stared at her, not finding that fact humorous, "Is there something you wanted?"

        "Yea…to steer.  I know you haven't been here in a while, but your cabin needs tendin' to, and the last time I tried cleaning up in there your eyes turned into the size of cocoanuts."

        "How am I supposed to find anything if you move it?"

        She rolled her eyes, "Dad, please.  When yer done, I'll hand her back over to ye."

        He paused, finally agreeing.  There was a reason he didn't want to go to his cabin, there were memories in there he didn't want to remember.  But sulking the whole way, he opened his cabin door and stood in the doorway before finally going in and shutting the door behind him.

        He sighed, looking around.  His bed looked the same.  Messed up, looking exactly like the morning when he left.  He looked at the little table next to the bed and found a half empty bottle of rum and a letter.  He knew what letter that was.  That was letter Gwyneth had written him when she left.  He sighed and turned away.  His rum closet was still the same, in the same place, mostly filled with bottles, on the side of the closet however, was his coat.  Wind and weather worn.  He sighed and walked over to it and took it from the hook that was on the closet.  He put it on and it felt like he was getting closer and closer to the real him.  He looked around for the missing piece.  His hat. 

        He found it on his desk and went over and picked it up and slowly put it on his head, almost savoring the moment.  He sighed, finally feeling himself again.  He looked around his cabin again and went for the note on the table.  He picked it up, read over it and almost ripped it in two, but decided not to at the last minute.  He folded it back up and put it in the single drawer the table held. He sighed and thought, _I gave her the choice…I shouldn't be mad…_  He looked around once again and then decided to go get his steering wheel back.

**** 

       "Uhm Gwyneth…" Jonathan said, staring at his aunt who was staring out the window.  It was night, the day after Brenda and Jack left, and she had tried to keep her mind off the Sparrows by playing cards with Jonathan.  It wasn't working very well.

        She snapped her head back, "What?"

        "It's your move…"

        "Oh…oh!  Sorry." She played a card and picked up another one.  

        He smiled widely, "gin!" he said, laying down his cards.  She looked and at them and frowned.  She laid her cards down and he counted up the points.  Then he frowned, "Gwyneth, you're not playing at your best…this offends me."

        Mark snorted from his position at the boys' desk.  She narrowed her eyes, looking at Mark, "What are you laughing at?"

        "He's right…whenever you do decide to partake in cards, which is rare I remind you, you always beat one of us…if not all."

        She raised an eyebrow, shrugging, "I have my head in other places, boys."

        "We know." They said together. 

        She smiled, "Well at least I'm still talking to you boys…things could be worse than winning a card game, right?"

        Trevor smiled from his spot on the bed, carving, "I guess."

        She nodded, "Then it's settled.  I'm sorry Jonathan, but you understand…right?"

        He shrugged, "I suppose lost love is a matter of great concern, yes."

        Gwyneth rolled her eyes, "You make it sound so technical."

        "At least it's better than how Trevor describes it…" Mark said, and then quickly dodged the pillow that came flying in his direction from Trevor's bed.  

        "Quiet, fat head!"

        "You almost smudged my paper!" Mark whined, examining his paper he was writing on.

        "Actually Trevor, everyone technically has a 'fat head' as so kindly referred to it as." Jonathan responded.  Gwyneth started laughing as Trevor threw a pillow at him too.

        "Trevor, you suffer from lost love?" Gwyneth said, sitting in a nearby chair.

        He glared at his two brothers and then at Gwyneth, "Only hypothetically."

        Mark burst out into giggles at what Trevor had just said.  Trevor threw another pillow at him, knocking him off his chair.  Gwyneth raised her eyebrow, "Obviously I'm missing something here."

        "Don't ask." Trevor muttered, going back to his carving.  Gwyneth knew the feeling.  She often wanted to throw a pillow at people who talked about her relationship with Jack, or lack thereof as the case may be.  She sighed and sank further down into the chair, "Well boys, I love our time together at nights, but I think I may need another way to keep my mind off the Sparrows."

        "Gwyneth?" Trevor asked, just before she left.  She turned in the doorway, listening.  "Did you really love him, like truly love him?"

        She sighed, remembering what Jack had done to her heart, yet she still couldn't ignore her feelings.  She nodded, "I did...and sadly enough, I still do."

****

        "Get me some rum.  Now." Jack ordered quietly as he sat down on a bar stool.  It had been a long day.  Jack and his first mate, Hanks were wondering the streets of Tortuga, looking for sailors who were more or less sober.  Jack's head had been full of Gibbs and Ana Maria as he agreed to a man by the name of Dave Barnes.  He had ten years of experience as a sailor and five years before that as a cabin boy.  He looked about twenty.  Jack figured he was raised on the sea.  **_He'll make a good crewmen…and that's what you want._ **Jack's conscience told him.  He just agreed, wanting to get this all over with.  He could only be happy with two people, Ana and Gibbs.

        _There's no way I'm gettin' them back_… he thought to himself.  The barmaid set a mug of rum in front of Jack and he quickly drank it.  "Slow down there mate, you might hurt yerself." Jack heard from behind him.  That was no man.  He set down the mug, wiped his face and turned.  There was Ana Maria standing with a grin on her face. "I thought that was you, Jack."

        He smiled and stuck out his hand.  She shook it firmly and sat down next to him.  "I 'eard you dropped off the face of the earth," she snapped, "jus' like that."

        He smiled, "I did temporarily.  Gibbs death hit me hard…"

        "It hit all o' us hard, Jack.  You know that."

        He nodded.  "I was with Rick for a while and then to Port Royal."

        Ana paused, "Port Royal?  Are you bloody kiddin' me?  I thought you swore to yerself you wouldn't go back."

        He shrugged, "I did.  But things were a little off then…the Bean was there, anyhow.  Got caught by the Commodore."

        "Oh…he brand her?"

        Jack nodded.  Ana grimaced.  Jack went on, "Aye.  Well Beverly turned out to be married t'the Commodore…have like four children together…"

        She smirked, "Never would've expected that."

        He nodded, "And Gwen was there…along with Will and Lizzie with five kids…boy that was interestin'."

        "You say Gwen was there?" She asked, looking at him.  Jack nodded.  She whistled, "That must've been interestin' as well."

        "It was.  We broke each others hearts." He said plainly and then took another drink out of his mug.  Ana choked on the rum she was currently drinking and set the mug down on the counter, "You what?"

        He sighed, "I did somethin' stupid…big surprise…she found out, broke my heart in the process of me breakin' her heart.  It's all really simple."

        "You blasted bloke!  You went and fell in love!"

        "Be quiet, would you?  Don't want to ruin my reputation…" Jack said looking around, spotting many whores.

        "I doubt you would even go with them after this…" she scoffed, "And it's not like anyone 'eard me."

        "Yer right…I'm not in the mood for lovin' unless it's Gwen."

        Ana Maria grimaced, "Look, did you talk to her?  Apologize maybe?"

        "She wouldn't listen to me. Said she didn't want to hear excuses…"

        She smiled, "Women be wise…" she said taking another drink.

        "Why the blast are you smilin'?" he asked.

        She put down her mug, "My grandmother told me that when I was younger.  It just reminded of what she said…okay?  Gwyneth already started to guard her heart from you, so you won't hurt her again…but give it a couple of months…if she truly loved you, then she won't be able to hold it for this long."

        "How can you be so sure?"

        She sighed, "Because you took her heart when she still had feelin's for her other…Nathan I do believe…aye.  You took her heart when she still believed she was in love with Nathan!  Lizzie once told me that Gwyneth let people walk into her heart, sit down and drink tea and take her trust before anything else.  She obviously let the wrong man into her heart."

**** 

       The yearnings for a child of her own became more evident as the days went by.  Brenda was the thing that filled the hole she didn't even know she had…until she was gone.  A child-shaped hole was now left in her heart with no child to fill it.  

        Gwyneth didn't want Brenda to leave, that was obvious.  And she now had grown a want in her heart for Jack as well, no matter how much it hurt to think about.  _Why do I want something I know will hurt me?_  She sighed. She had to find something to cure her yearnings and wants.  What was there?  She couldn't go to the Market and buy a child or a Captain Jack Sparrow.  And yet, she put on her shawl and left her house, not sure where she was going to go. 

        She made the carriage stop when she yelled to Rick out the carriage window.  He was coming down a plank.  She walked quickly to him, who had noticed her and had stopped.  "Ms. Johnson?" he asked when she reached him.

        "Rick, do you know how I can get a hold of the _Pearl_?"

        He stared at her for a minute before asking, "Why would you want to do that?"

        She sighed, grabbing on to her hat as the wind picked up, "Rick, I need to talk to Jack and Brenda…"

        "I thought…well to say it plainly, I thought you didn't want to see him again."

        "What gave you that notion?"

        "You didn't return his feelin's…"

        She paused, "I what?"

        "Jack told you he well…he loved you and you didn't return his feelin's…he wanted to call of the bet but you found out before I could agree."

        Gwyneth felt like the world stopped turning, _he was trying to call of the bet?  He told Rick I didn't love him back?  Why?_  "Rick, what did the bet entail?"

        He cleared his throat, sure he could be hung for this.  "If you said you loved him within a fortnight, he would get the fifteen pounds…but you didn't say it.  So I got the money… he hasn't paid me yet, but he always pays his bets…well at least with me."  He paused and then pulled out the piece of Jack had given him a week an a half ago. He showed it to her and Gwyneth almost fainted.

        "You mean he told you I didn't love him and then lost fifteen pounds to you?"

        Rick nodded, putting the paper back into his pocket, "He did.  But I got to go, ma'am…" he said motioning to his ship.  She nodded and he quickly left.  She slowly walked to her carriage, making sure not to trip over her own feet.  The carriage turned around and went towards the Turners, like she directed.  Now more than ever she needed to talk to her old friends.

****

        Brenda quietly knocked on her father's door and then opened it.  She saw that he was at his desk, looking at maps and working with compasses.  He had his spectacles that he had gotten a couple years ago.  Brenda always liked it when he wore them, she thought it showed the true Jack, but of course showed nothing of the pirate captain.  For that reason Jack only wore them in the privacy of his cabin.

        "What is it Bean?"

        She sighed, "I didn't want to leave." She said sternly.

        He looked up, noticing the anger in her voice, "Are you mad at me for takin' you away?"

        "No.  I'm mad at both of you for acting so childish.  If you had just apologized…"

        "I _did_ apologize!" He said, "Why does everyone keep bloody tellin' me that?!  I DID!"

        _Obviously a touchy subject…_ she thought to herself, "Dad.  Why didn't you push her?  You push everyone!"

        "'Cause she's more precious than everyone else."

        "Okay…so doesn't she deserve the truth?"

        "Yes…but she said she didn't-"

        Brenda held up her hand, "You never referred to it as the truth…did you dad?  And maybe if you had told her you _didn't_ take the money…maybe that would've helped." She paused, "You didn't take the money, right?"

        "No!  I told Rick she didn't love me."

        Brenda sighed and nodded, "Good.  Now that doesn't mean you have to give him the money…You can spend it on a present for Gwyneth."

        Jack smirked, "I don't think so. I always repay my debts to Rick."

        "Not if we don't go to his house!"

        Jack paused, "Why do you dislike him so much."

        She sighed and sat on his bed, "it's not his fault he's a rat."

        "Brenda…"

        "I just saw him treat a woman with less respect and care than anyone should."

        Jack nodded, he had seen the same thing in his time and even stopped him a few times.  Jack sighed, "Well he's still my friend."

        "Jack, it's obvious he doesn't hold women in the _highest_ respect.  He wanted to crush Gwyneth's heart, and that's exactly what he did, but got you too in the process."  She smiled sourly, "He thought that the great bachelor that is Captain Jack Sparrow…that he couldn't be tamed."

        "Tamed?" Jack repeated.  "I've been tamed by no one!"

        She rolled her eyes, knowing the truth, but maybe she could've put it a little differently.  He sighed, "I got you something..." he said pointing to his pillow, "I was going to give it to you tomorrow, but now's good a time as any."

        She eyed him and then took the medium-sized box from his pillow.  "What's the occasion?" she asked before opening it.  

        He shrugged, "I just found it and thought of you…that's all…"

        "Found it?"

        He rolled his eyes, "I paid for it."

        "That's a first," she muttered.  She slowly opened it and stared at the thing that the box was holding.  Her eyes slowly moved to her father, "Where did you get this?"

        "Do you like it?" he asked, looking back at his maps.

        "You answer my question first." She said, crossing her arms, "You sure as heck didn't get this in Tortuga…and _if_ you did pay for this…why?"

        "Okay, so maybe I didn't pay for it…but I tried paying for it."

        Brenda narrowed her eyes, "Why."

        He sighed, looking at her and leaning back in his chair, "It was obvious how attached you had gotten to Gwen…and just because I don't want to remember what had happened, doesn't mean you don't."

        She sighed and looked at the thing in the box again.  It was a little canvas that couldn't have been more than twenty inches _in all_.  She rubbed the back of her neck, _ten by seven at most..._she thought to herself.  The canvas had two faces on it, both looking in the same direction but not in the direction of the artist.  It was Brenda and Gwyneth, both looking at something, both with faint smiles on their faces.  The only color other than the black of the **kohl** was gray for Brenda's eyes, green for Gwyneth's eyes and golden yellow for Gwyneth's hair. 

        She sighed and looked back at Jack, "Who made it?"

        "I asked Elizabeth to draw it for me a couple days before we left."

        "I love it dad." She said simply.  

        He nodded, "Now get off to bed; we have a big day tomorrow."

        "We do?"

        He nodded again, but didn't supply any information.  She smiled to herself and took the box with the picture in it when she left his cabin. 

****

        "I feel like a complete idiot." Gwyneth said plainly.  She had gone over to the Tuners, who were both happy to see her as ever.  They now sat in the parlor, tea in the women's hands and coffee in Will's.

        Elizabeth or Will didn't respond to her comment but just exchanged a look.  "Gwyneth…don't be so hard on yourself…" Will started out, "We've all made mistakes."

        "Yes, but why do mine have to be so huge?" She said pitifully.

        Elizabeth frowned, "You haven't made _huge_ mistakes Gwyneth…"

        She stared at her friend, "Do you remember when I pushed my brother into a fire?  Sure, he doesn't have any scars, but that's a big mistake!  And then what about going on the _Pearl_ in the first place?!  It got me into all sorts of trouble!  And then there was refusing the Commodore.  All together.  He couldn't even get far enough to purpose when I dashed all his dreams…and then…then I let the man I love and have loved walk out my life without knowing the truth…If those aren't huge mistakes, then I don't know what are."

        Will scratched his ear, "I think I remember when you pushed your brother into the fire…it was only a few years after I was rescued…I think was _there_ in fact…it looked like you _meant_ to do it…I don't think it was a mistake on your part."

        Gwyneth frowned, seeing his point.  "And as for going on the _Pearl__,_" he said, going on, "you only agreed because I was there, and you knew me."

        She shrugged, "Maybe…" 

        "So you didn't know it was a mistake until way after it happened."

        "Your point?"

        "And with the Commodore…" Elizabeth said, "That wasn't a mistake either.  If you married him- that would've been a pretty large mistake…because you wouldn't have loved him."

        She bit her lip, afraid of what excuse they might come up with the next 'mistake'.  Will sighed, "But letting Jack leave without an explanation…now that was a mistake."

        She moaned and dropped her head in her hands.  Elizabeth made a face at her husband and whacked him upside the arm.  She told him quietly to 'shut up!' and let her do the talking.  He shrugged, not listening, "Gwen, look, I've known you since I was a boy and I know that your intentions are always for the best…by not letting Jack stay or even explain, you were just protecting yourself, right?"

        She lifted her head, "Yes…I didn't want him to hurt me again…"

        Elizabeth smiled, "Well then you had the best intentions…but your better judgment was clouded by your emotions…not the best combination."

        Gwyneth sighed, "It was _really_ hard saying goodbye to him…"

        Will nodded, "We know."

        "I suppose you do…considering you're one of his good friends." She said to both of them.  They nodded.

        "But you get used to it…" Elizabeth said, "He's called by the sea…he can't ignore that.  And unfortunately, the sea blows him in and out of each port, never letting him land anywhere."

        Gwyneth sighed and sat back in her chair, "I think that's another reason why I pushed him away…I knew he wouldn't ever stay anywhere for any length of time."

        "You were seriously considering…" Will left the sentence hanging, not sure what to say.

        "Marriage?" Gwyneth filled in, "Yes.  Only if he wanted it also."

        He scratched the back of his head, knowing the answer to that.  Gwyneth's caught the look he was giving.  "Will Turner…"

        "What?"

        "Don't act innocent with me!  I know you too well."

        He sighed, "Jack might've mentioned…" he paused looking at his wife, "In the privacy of…each other's company…he might've _implied_ that he would like a family…a mother for his daughter possibly."

        Gwyneth's mouth dropped a little and she sighed, "I can't take this anymore…I love him, I really do, and I would love to be his wife…" she sighed again, "But I can't stand talking about this, knowing he's gone and not coming home…"

        "We understand dear," Elizabeth answered.  Shooting a look at Will and then looking at Gwyneth again, "So, your birthday is coming up…what would you like?"

        She smiled, narrowing her eyes, "From Jack to my fortieth birthday…that's a good difference."

        Elizabeth smiled back, "At least it's a subject change…And it's the big 4-0!"  

        She pointed a finger at her friend, "If you say over the hill, I will kill you."

        "You know, I faintly remember someone crying when she was…thirty-two, I do believe…about turning forty…"  Will said, a smile on his face.

        Gwyneth blushed, covering her eyes with her hand, "That was so embarrassing…But now that it as come around…I'm not exactly _excited _about it."

        "Well that doesn't mean you're getting _old_ dear…just growing with beauty."

        She rolled her eyes, "Elizabeth, say that again and you'll regret it."

        Elizabeth smirked, "I can just feel the love from you dear, now cut to the chase, what do you want for your birthday?"

        _Jack Sparrow…_ "Lizzie, you know me, whatever you get me will be fine."

        Elizabeth finally sighed, "If that's the way you want it…"

        She nodded, "That's the way I want it."

_______________

**Author Thanks:**

**          Emma436: Hey…I'm glad you read my chapter…not as long of a review as I would've liked, but I can't get everything I want.  I understand completely about being busy.  I hoped you liked this chapter as well.**

**          Dawnie-7: Drama!  I know…kinda reminds me of middle school…hmmm…but it's a little bit better than that.  But yea, Gwyneth and Jack are confusing and just need to settle down together!  Jeez!  I'm glad you'll read the next one…*smiles***

**          Piper8188**

**          ThePinkPanther: I totally agree!  Emotional stuff is crappy.**

**          Albe-Chan**

**          Bitty-Buffy**


	20. Back To You

**Author's Note:**  **Well here we are…done.  This is the last REAL chapter.  As you can see, there's another chapter…but it's not really to the story...I just added it because I didn't want to add it at the end of this week.  So thanks for reading.  I really enjoyed all your opinions and thoughts on my story…*sigh* Author Thanks at the end…**

**_______________**

       Months passed slowly for Gwyneth and Jack.  Both in their separate worlds but somehow connected.  Jack led many raids in that time and injured himself in the arm in one of them.  At that point, Gwyneth could swear she felt someone being hurt.  Her family thought she was insane for asking all of them if their arms felt okay, she gave up when she found no one had been hurt. 

        Jack felt himself getting used to the new crewmembers and even growing a bond with them.  Not a day passed by when Gwyneth didn't enter his mind.  He constantly had dreams about her and kept the letter she wrote him years ago in his pocket.  Brenda saw it when it fell out one afternoon and rolled her eyes, thinking it was sweet but crazy at the same time, thinking he was being childish, not going to talk to her.  "She doesn't want me." Jack's response would be to every eye roll.  She shrugged and didn't say anything in response.

        Gwyneth found herself relating everything she saw to Jack.  She mentally slapped herself every time and scolded herself for letting him leave.  Often at night she would have an urge to go to a tavern and ask the sailors if they had heard anything about Jack.  She resisted when she remembered she _told_ him to go.  _I was a fool._ She reminded herself.  

        With the months passing on, summer quickly came.  Trevor and Jonathan still had their jobs, but the four months of May, June, July and August, the younger school-kids were out and free.  Emma, the friend of Caitlin often came over and asked Gwyneth about Jack whenever she saw her.  Gwyneth never responded to the question and told her to leave the subject alone.

        With her birthday coming sooner than she had expected, Gwyneth thought it was time to leave.  Leave her brother's house, leave her brother's family and leave Port Royal.  As much as she didn't want to, knowing all her friends and family were here, she knew she needed it.  The thoughts of it kept her awake during the night…

        _Gwyneth…Gwyneth… _A soft voice often called to her in this repetitive dream, Gwyneth saw herself in an unfamiliar place, always looking for the caller, but usually never found the person.  As she walked along, following the sweet voice, she came into some woods, the trees calming her instantly.  She kept going, picking up her pace.  Finally she reached a beautifully built wooden house.  It looked to be two stories with spacious grounds around it, the trees cutting off and it looked like a stable in the back.  _This is too strange,_ she thought to herself.  

        There was a large porch that seemed to go all the way around the house and there was a beautiful garden around the house as well.  A man was standing in it, his head down.  Gwyneth walked to him and lifted his face.  The man was Trevor.  He smiled, saying, "Thanks so much, Aunt, I needed this as much as you did."

        She frowned, not understanding him at all.  She went inside the house, leaving him in the flower bed and saw that the inside was even more beautiful than the outside.  It was furnished wonderfully, candles lighting the place quite well, beautiful windows looking out into the back yard, it seemed.  Where a horse stood, eating, in a fenced off area.  She sighed and explored more.  

        There was only one main sitting area and in it, there were couches and the like, with only a large model of ship, with beautiful wood- the ship was familiar. There were long windows and dog, almost full grown, sleeping happily by the fire.  She smiled and went upstairs.  The first room had a bed, windows, mirror, dresser and bookshelf, but around the room were many carvings made of wood.  Of faces, birds and other animals.  She sighed and went on to the next.  The room looked like the last, but only had one piece hanging on the wall.  A drawing with little color and of two women.  Gwyneth smiled, knowing the two women.

        She went on to the next; it was smaller, with a small bed- a crib, with a sleeping child in it.  Gwyneth frowned; not knowing who this child belonged to.  She exited the room quietly and went to the next.  The last one, the largest, had a large bed in it and a ship's wheel hanging over it.  _Gwyneth…Gwyneth…_ the voice was calling her again.  It seemed so inviting and calming.  She turned, looking at the window seat where her caller was, but before she got a good look at his face…

        She woke up.

        The dream always ended there.  This time must've been the third time she had had that dream, and now upon waking up, she knew exactly what that house was and where.  She didn't know what the rest of the dream meant, but she didn't have time to consider those things.  She quickly got up and began writing a letter.  

****

        "Gwyneth, slow down!  Slow down!" Edward sighed, "Now say that whole thing over again, but slower."

        She sighed, annoyed.  "Edward…listen carefully, because I don't want to say this again.  I wrote to the Commodore and told him I want to leave Port Royal, and if there were any ships I could 'hitch' a ride on.  He said that there was a ship leaving Port Royal a week before my birthday, en route to Haiti…the island they're dropping me off at is Cape Clear." 

        She paused, knowing he knew that tiny island, "Why in the world would you go _there_?" He asked.  "You haven't been there since we both were kids, don't you remember what it was like?  Miscreants running around everywhere!  The island alone isn't big enough to hold more than one city!  And even the population was lower than a normal city or port."

        "Eddie, it's perfect.  Papa inherited that old house from grandfather, and papa gave it to you!  Give it to me, and I'll live there.  I loved that town…"

        "Gwyneth!  Are you out of your mind?!  That island thought just because it was between us, Cuba and Haiti, it thought it could bend the rules!  Need I remind you, it's still under the Crown?"

        "Then it's just what I need!  I think Port Royal is too strict anyhow.  If Brenda ever comes to see me, then she won't be hung because she did so.  The island is small, too small to be noticed by merchants or smugglers, and I loved the atmosphere.  Eddie, please, this is what I need."

        "You'll be all alone though…" he said, getting to his true concern.  

        "Thanks for the concern, but by the time I get there, I'll be forty years old…I'll be able to take care of myself.  Oh!  And don't you remember Grandmother's horses?  There's a stable, so I'll be able to take Pearl."

        "The Royal navy is willing to take you and your horse?"

        She nodded.  "All I need is the approval from the owner of the wood cabin."

        He sighed, "I'll let you go on one condition…of course I will need to ask my wife about this, but…what if Trevor went with you?"

        Gwyneth paused, "Are you serious?  Letting your eldest leave home when he's not married?"

        "He wants to be a vintner, and from what I remember, Cape Clear has large hills, covered in grapes, correct?"

        She nodded, "But Eddie…this is the farthest Trevor will ever be from home!  Faith won't give him up!"

        "Nonsense! We've been talking about setting him up with a nice girl to kick him out of the nest.  You have to let them fly, Gwen."

        She sighed, "Well if he agrees and isn't mad at me, then I'm fine with it…"

        He smiled, "Wonderful.  And we'll come visit from time to time…although it'll be a hassle with all the children and the fact that I don't have a ship…" he sighed, "But we'll find a way."

**** 

        Brenda gasped and sat straight up in a flash.  She grabbed her heart and tried to catch her breath.  _What a horrible dream!_ She thought to herself as she calmed down.  Like Gwyneth, she was having a repeating dream about something that had happened in her past.  Trevor kissing her.

        She sighed, got out of bed, pulled on a pair of pants and knocked on her father's door that adjoined their two rooms.  Jack had made it when she had gotten her own room, and hadn't had a reason to remove it.  She quickly slipped in and heard her father mumbling.  "Dad!" she whispered into the darkness.  She sighed when he said, "Stop talkin' an' go back t'bed!"

        She carefully inched her way to a candle holder that was always by his door and searched for matches that were usually next to it.  She found on and lit it quickly and soon the room was illuminated by the candle.  She picked it up and went to her dad's bed.  She roughly shook him and before he even opened his eyes he pulled his gun that he kept at his side, even when sleeping, and pointed at her.  

        Brenda rolled her eyes and took the gun out of his hand, "Dad!  This is serious!"

        She grunted, rubbed his eyes and finally sat up, his eyes barely open.  "What." He said sharply, saying it more like a statement than a question.  "Ye don't like t'be woken up in the bloody middle of the night, so why are you doin' it t'me?!"

        She smirked, "Dad, it's about a boy."

        He paused, his eyes still slits, his back straight and him not wavering, "One of Gwen's nephews, eh?"

        "Aye.  He was so annoying at first too.  Bloody nuisance."  She sighed, "Unfortunately the idea of opposites attractin' ain't a new concept."

        He nodded, knowing many pirates taken by women they first hated.  "Hate at first sight…very common."

        She sighed, "The thing is, I've been havin' dreams 'bout him… and as much as I don't want to admit it- I grew attached to him, as well as Gwen…"

        Jack sighed, rubbing his upper nose, "If I tell you this, will you go away?"

        She nodded, "If it has somethin' t'do with this."

        "I saw Ana Maria at Tortuga a couple months ago when we saw her…she told me if Gwen truly loved me, then she'll forgive me.  What you and her have said makes too much sense…I need to talk to her, force her to sit down and talk to me."

        Brenda smiled, "And of course she'll be happy to see your hair is growing back."  She paused, "Set a course to Port Royal then?"  He nodded.  She smiled wider, "Thanks dad.  Goodnight."

**** 

        Trevor gladly accepted the invitation on going to Cape Clear.  He would love living with his aunt, and in the hopes of Brenda ever coming back, he wanted her to be safe.  He asked his parents if he could change his profession to a sailor.  Faith and Edward were both a little surprised, but they agreed, as long as he didn't turn pirate.  After dinner he raced upstairs and Faith confessed her concerns.

        "I know he's wildly excited Gwen, but please keep the same rules we do.  If he's still young enough to live under your roof, then he's young enough to abide to your rules.  And make sure he picks a good ship…merchant preferably…but that doesn't have to be it…" she sighed, "Other than that, be careful with my baby."

        "Faith, I'm surprised you're agreeing to this."

        "So am I."

        "But thanks so much.  Trevor will really give me a lot, that I couldn't get if I was alone…and I promise to make him write every week."

        Faith smiled tears in her eyes, "Thanks."

        Gwyneth and Trevor quickly packed all their things, seven trunks between them.  They also made agreements with each other to make sure everything ran smoothly between them when they finally did get to Cape Clear.  

        A couple days later, a day before she was supposed to leave, a birthday/going away party was held in Gwyneth's honor.  The Norrington's and Turner's came, each with their brood, and the Norrington's were surprised to know that Gwyneth was leaving in the first place.  She told them the whole long story, wondering if James knew about Jack and Beverly and if Beverly felt uncomfortable listening to all this, but she looked fine, leaning on her husband, listening fully.

        "So now you're just starting anew?" she asked when Gwyneth was finished.

        Gwyneth sighed, looking at Elizabeth who looked like she was about to cry, "That's part of it."

        "What's the other part?" James asked.

        Gwyneth smiled, "Not sure, but starting a life for myself, finally is most of it.  Jack kinda helped me with that.  He went back to his regular life, from spending many months without it.  I figured it was time I found a home away from my brother."

        "Well I think it's wonderful.  You must be so excited!  You're going off on your own…armed with good thoughts and free will!" Beverly said, smiling.

        Gwyneth sighed, knowing she should be smiling as well, but knowing part of this new life of hers was missing.  She nodded instead of answering with words, knowing if she did, she would regret it.

****

        Through tears and sobs, Gwyneth and Trevor finally left.  A week later, family and friends were still feeling the effects.  One unusual rainy afternoon Elizabeth was moping around the house, mourning the loss of one of her good friends.  She and Will sat at the table that afternoon, after lunch- him drinking coffee slowly and reading orders that had arrived the day before and her sighing, resting her chin on her hand.  

        "I miss her."

        Will didn't even look up, knowing who his wife was talking about.  She had been talking about Gwyneth since she left.  "We all do dear."

        "Today would've been her birthday."

        "Yes dear."

        She sighed again, tired of hearing the same response when she said something about Gwyneth.  Maybe she was obsessing.  _Even if I am, I don't want to stop._  "Obsessing won't bring her back dear." Will said, eyes still on his orders.

        Elizabeth narrowed her eyes, _how did he know I was thinking that?_  "I've been married to you for sixteen years and have known you for more than fifteen before that, what do you expect?"

        "Will Turner!" Elizabeth said, but before she could say anything more, a knock came on their back door.  They both paused, Will, alerted looked up towards the door.  They could barely make out a figure behind the closed door and through the curtain.  

        The knock came again and Will got up, put his papers down and drew a sword from a floor vase that was also holding umbrellas.  He unsheathed it and gingerly put his hand on the handle and turned it.  He sighed and lowered the sword when he saw who it was.

        "You could've opened the blasted door little quicker, son," Jack said, coming in, Brenda behind him- both soaked.

        "I told you it was unlocked." Brenda muttered, "We could've just come in."

        "Stop!" Elizabeth said loudly.  Brenda and Jack stopped in their tracks, looking at her.  "You're soaking wet!  Stay right there on the mat!"  She called for the man servant to get some towels and moments later he brought them to her.  She handed them to the two pirates and they dried off quickly.  Jack left his hat on the mat however, knowing it would be dripping for a while.

        "Where's Gwen?" Jack asked right away.

        Brenda rolled her eyes, "Dad, I told you she would be at her _own_ house."

        He glared at his daughter and then made a motion with his hand and looked back at the Turners, "I thought today was her birthday."

        "It is." Elizabeth answered.

        "No party?"

        "We already had a party…" Will said.

        Jack raised an eyebrow, "Just tell me now lad." 

        Will sighed, "She's gone.  She and Trevor left about a week ago…"

        Jack's mouth dropped, "Why?  Where?"

        "She said she needed a new life.  I don't doubt if it has something to do with you…" Elizabeth put it.  "She went to Cape Clear though…her brother inherited a wood house up there."

        "Where the blast is Cape Clear?!" Brenda asked, not recognizing the name of the island. 

        Will sighed, rubbing the back of his neck, "Its in-between here, Cuba and Haiti."

        Jack paused, "I think I know where that is…now that I think about it.  It is a tiny island, but they welcome pirates…"  He sighed, "Well I guess that's our next stop."

        "Is the sea giving you a rough time?" Will asked.

        Jack shrugged, "I've seen a lot worse.  It won't last.  The rain _is_ letting up, so it won't be that much longer."

        Jack and Brenda left quickly after that, wanting to waste no time with finding Gwen.

****

        Gwyneth sighed as she looked at the house before her.  The garden in front of the house was dead, there was ivy creeping up onto the around-the-house porch and the trail that led to the house was practically gone.  It had been a miracle they had even found it.  "Let's just go in!" Gwyneth said, completely exhausted from the boat ride over.  She had spent most the time sleeping in the hay with Pearl and Suzie.  Obviously neither of them liked the ocean.

        She got Pearl to the stable in the back that looked alright, even though the run needed some work, but that could be done much later.  She and Trevor quickly made their way into the house and uncovered all the furnishings that had been covered for over twenty years.  Then they had to open up the house completely because of the dust.  When the dust cleared, she, Trevor and Suzie finally just fell asleep on the floor rug that was in the main sitting area.

        Morning came; Trevor and Gwyneth quickly started to clean up the house.  When going up stairs Trevor fell in love with the first room.  Gwyneth frowned when she noticed it was the same room that had little carvings in it.  _Trevor's wooden carvings…_She sighed, wondering what else she would find out in this house.  

        She took the largest room down the hall.  Once the two had cleaned the house, Trevor went out looking for a job and Gwyneth went out to work on Pearl's stable and run.

        A week had past quickly enough, Trevor finding a job as a merchant sailor, left the house for two weeks.  Gwyneth had the house to herself and quickly went to buy things to fill up the empty rooms, including a large pillow for Suzie as a bed.  One day when she found herself working on another sampler, there was a knock on her door.  She paused and finally got up and answered the door, but when she did, no one around.  She frowned and looked around, seeing something on her doorstep.  She picked it up and slightly recognized the rough handwriting.  It read: **I love you.**  She paused, looked around once more and sighed.  She went back inside and closed the door behind her.  

        When she got into the living room, she gasped, not sure she could be able to say something.  There was Jack, the best that she's seen him in a long time, his signature smirk and a rose sitting next to him on the couch.  "'Ello Love."

        "W-what are you doing here?"

        "Came to tell you the truth.  I figured I owed you that…"

        A small smile that Jack was waiting for graced her lips, "I hear you owe a lot more than that."

        He sighed, "Rick spilled the beans?  Beautiful."  He took in a deep breath; he had been practicing this for two days.  He could do this.  "I agreed to the bet because I thought I could prove I was just as good as a man when I wasn't the pirate captain.  You proved that wrong our first time together.  But the main reason was, I wasn't expecting to fall so hard for you."

        She sighed slightly.  _Not exactly the sweetest thing he could've said, with the proving himself…but it's the truth…and that's what I need._  "So other than to tell me the truth…is there anything else you want to do while you're here?"

        _To kiss you._ He thought immediately.  He smiled, standing up, and picking up the rose, "I want to ask you something… Do you forgive me?"

        She smiled, "If I say yes, do I get the rose?"

        "Yes…but I would prefer the truth, love."

        "Of course I forgive you.  You obviously don't give up on the people you…love."

        He shrugged, reaching her.  He handed her the rose and gently kissed her lips.  "Which brings me to my next question," he whispered, his eyes still closed from the light kiss.

        "Hmm?" she said, her eyes closed as well, hovering in front of him, wanting so badly to be in his arms. 

        "I want you with me…Forever.  But I'm sure you don't want me to give up life on the _Pearl__,_ and I wouldn't argue with you…so as long as I can still be Captain but I can still have you, I'll be fine."

        She smiled slightly, "I _wouldn't_ want you to leave your role just for me, that's too much to ask…but is it too much to ask to get married?"

        He opened his arms and let her in just before kissing her forehead, "As long as it's small and there's rum…"  

        She nodded, "Your crew, my family…the Turners…"

        "The Norrington's," He added.  She smiled and nodded, "Of course all I need is you."

        "I love you too." she said and reached up to kiss the man she had always wanted to marry, sealing their engagement with a kiss.

____________

**Author Thanks:**

**          PiratePrincess91: when you finally get to this chapter…I just like to say that I enjoyed hearing from someone new, I'm glad you liked Brenda and Trevor and I hope to see you in my next fic!  Sorry I couldn't really answer your reviews, but this is better than nothing.**

**          Ghostwriter155: Are you a new reviewer?  YAY!  I'm assuming you're going to read the next story since you like this one…right?  **

**          BittyBuffy and Albe-Chan and ThePinkPanther:  I know you guys haven't reviewed for my last chapter, and that's fine.  But I just wanted to say that I enjoyed hearing from all of you and just wanted to get this last thanks in.  Hope to see you with my next fic!**

**          Dawnie-7: You crack me up!  Kuddos?  Mm…those are good.  Anyways- you didn't like Jack with out his 'costume' did you?  Oh, I'm sorry.  I won't do it again, I swear.  I know, Will doesn't ever learn, does he?  But of course you can't teach an old dog new tricks.  And I love pillow fights, so I thought, why not?**

**          Piper8188:  I am doing another story…so yea!  I hope you review for me.  Yea, I thought that it would be weird for Rick to talk to Gwyneth, because they haven't had any conversations throughout the whole story, but it worked better than I planned in my head.  It seemed smooth when I actually wrote it, you know?**

**          Emma436: You are my hero.  You have written so much to me and I think I will return the favor when you update again (hint, hint) and I will TRY to write longer than ten words, deal?  I feel like I know you!  It's weird!  Oh well…your ideas…hmm…only like two of them came true in this chapter I think.  The going back to ****Port Royal****…but of course Gwen wasn't there- so that was only half right…and the twist, is moving to another island twist enough for you? lol.  It was kinda like a proposal, don't you think?  He just wanted to be with her and would do anything to do that…you know?  I can't believe I made you cry!  Honestly!  Jeez…you make me feel like a good writer.  It's a 'tender' moment…but wow!  That's cool though- don't think I'm making fun of you.  Well this will be our last talk until you update…*sigh* But we can always e*mail…until next time mate.**


	21. Cheers Mates

**Final Goodbye**

       So this story has ended.  It's kinda sad actually, but I know I'm going to continue this story with another one!  Yah!  The next story I will try to revolve around Brenda and Trevor, knowing how all of you liked to see their little romance.  Of course Jack and Gwen will be thrown in there, as the parents, and perhaps all the inhabitants of Port Royal, but since Gwen is on a totally different island…that might be a little hard.  We'll see.

        This will take awhile…I don't have a plot yet.  So I always set a time for bringing my story out that I think is too long once it comes near.  I always get a jump start on my story and then I have six chapters by the time I finally post…but I don't think it'll be like that this time.  Look for this story around **April 24th.  **It's going to be my birthday!  YAH!  Sixteen, here I come…anyways- yea.  

        The title…that'd be good to tell you.  I'm thinking the title will be…**Your Love is Life for Me**.  Catchy huh?  Yea, that took me like two hours to think of.  Jeez.  But it works.  Oh!  Uhm, I was thinking of having a** Beta reader**…If any of you LIKE correcting, have a lot of time on your hands or think you can beta and write a story, let me know…thanks.

        I think you should hear my inspiration…**Jimmy Buffett**.  Of course you can skip over this if so desired.

_I rounded first, never thought of the worst, as I studied the short-stop's position_

_Crack went my leg, like the shell of an egg, someone call a decent physician_

_I'm no Pedro, I can't pretend, though my mind is quite flexible, but these brittle bones don't bend._

_        *I'm growing older, but not up.  My metabolic rate is pleasantly stuck._

_        Let those winds of time blow over my head, I'd rather die while I'm living than live while I'm dead._

_Sometimes I see me, as an old manatee, heading south as the waters go colder._

_Tries to steer clear, of the hum-drum so near, it cuts pop scars deep in his shoulder._

_But that's how it goes, right to the end, though his body's quite flexible, his barnacle brain won't bend._

_        *I'm growing older, but not up.  My metabolic rate is pleasantly stuck._

_        Let those winds of time blow over my head, I'd rather die while I'm living than live while I'm dead._

_Now don't get me wrong, this is not a sad song, just events that I have happened to witness._

_As time takes its toll, as we held for the pole- and no one dies from physical fitness._

_So what the hell?  We'll take it right to the end, as the days grow more complicated, the night's life still bent._

_        *I'm growing older, but not up.  My metabolic rate is pleasantly stuck._

_        Let those winds of time blow over my head, I'd rather die while I'm living than live while I'm dead._

        I love that song…Just the thought of Jack being old, but still acting immaturely (like taking the bet) stuck in my mind, and POOF!  Mid-life crisis came into my head…oh well.  I guess it turned out better than I expected.  Thanks to everyone for reviewing and reading both stories, and I hope to hear from you all when I come out with my new story.  

-Rebel Lady

        aka

              Theresa


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